Natsu and Lucy: From A to Z
by Armageddon Angel
Summary: 26 one-shots on the life and love of Natsu and Lucy. Stories range from the humorous to angsty to fluffy and everything in between. Part of my Fairy Tail Project. Chapter 13: M is for Match
1. A is for Adventure

**Natsu and Lucy - From A to Z**

**Twenty-six one-shots on the life and love of Natsu and Lucy.**

**This fic is part of my Fairy Tail From A to Z Challenge fics. I'll be doing them at the same time so once I finish one letter on one fic, I'll do the same letter in the other fics.**

**The From A to Z fics will also be a like a game. The words I've chosen are, to me, the best words I can think of that relate to this pairing. Reviews will get one point and reviewers will get extra points whether or not they can guess the word for the next letter. The winner will get a one-shot dedicated to them on a subject of their choosing with that pairing. So there will be three winners.**

**The stories in the Fairy Tail From A to Z challenge fics are somewhat interconnected with each other. So if I mention an event in, for instance, a Natsu/Lucy chapter, there is probably a corresponding chapter in Gray/Juvia or Gajeel/Levy one.**

**The last thing about this fic is that they aren't in chronological order. I just pick a point in time in their relationship that relates to the word I've chosen. So don't look for continuity with this.**

**With that in mind, I hope you'll enjoy these one shots.**

**And, of course, Fairy Tail doesn't belong to me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be writing these fanfics.**

* * *

**A is for Adventure**

_A life without adventure is likely to be unsatisfying. ~ Bertrand Russell_

Ever since Lucy was a little girl, her mother read her many stories before bed. Her favorite stories were those of heroes and adventures. Her imagination would run wild when she heard them. She could imagine herself traveling with companions on journeys to save kingdoms, defeating monsters and bandits, and setting things right where once they were wrong. These were all good things to Lucy.

She enjoyed the stories her mother told her. In general, she loved her mother. Lucy's father was too engrossed in his work to spend any time with his daughter beyond basic pleasantries and meals.

And then her mother passed away. Lucy was a very sad girl. Her father became more obsessed with his work, leaving Lucy to her own devices.

Lucy's only escape as a child were the stories that her mother read to her and the magic she used to practice. She learned to read so that she could escape the humdrum of her high society life. She learned her Stellar Spirit magic so that she could feel like she was the protagonist of her own story and to be closer to her mother, a fellow Stellar Spirit mage.

It was then that Lucy made a resolution. She decided that one day, when she was older and her magic was stronger, she would leave to go on an adventure.

Lucy told her father this when she was 10. She remembered his reaction very clearly

* * *

_Jude Heartfilia had slammed his hands on his desk, frightening the 10 year old Lucy._

_"Lucy, get this ridiculous idea out of your head this instance." He told her in a gruff tone. "You are a Heartfilia, not some commoner. Your duty is to grow up to be a respectable lady, marry into a good family and produce a son to inherit the Heartfilia fortune. Do you understand?"_

_"But daddy..." She tried to argue._

_"Lucy, I will not have my daughter gallivanting around as a mage." He grounded out the word mage like it was a curse. "The only reason you are allowed to practice magic is because I promised your mother so long ago. Now go to your room and prepare for supper."_

_Lucy ran out of her fathers office in tears. The only time in her life that she cried harder was when her mother died._

* * *

The next day, Lucy made a vow to herself. When she got older and her magic was stronger, she would leave and go out on a grand adventure. She never spoke a word about it to anyone. Her father thought that she had been set straight and it was never mentioned again.

At 16, Jude Heartfilia had Lucy engaged to some rich guy whose name she didn't bother to remember. It was then she made a decision that would change her life forever. In the dead of night, Lucy Heartfilia, heir to the Heartfilia fortune, left her comfortable life to go on an adventure.

When Lucy first left the Heartfilia estate to set out on her own, she imagined a life of adventure and she was the protagonist. There would be tales of daring, suspense, intrigue and mystery. And Lucy Heartfilia, the beautiful and powerful heroine, would brave dangers and monsters that would fell even the hardiest of adventurers. With her band of loyal Stellar Spirits, there would be nothing that she couldn't handle.

(And maybe there would be a little romance on the side. You know, a handsome traveler who would protect her from the things she couldn't handle herself. And then he'd turn out to be a prince in disguise, sweeping her off her feet. They would get married and live happily ever after. You know the stories I'm talking about, right?)

But a month of traveling by herself quickly dispelled all of those silly notions.

For one, as an independent mage, she couldn't get a lot of work. The good jobs always went to registered guilds. The traveling itself was a pain in the ass as well. Lucy left the estate with very little money. (She only took whatever she had on her at the time of her departure and was cut off from the rest by her father.) So she couldn't take a carriage or a train most of the time. That meant walking. (Great for exercise, not so great for her energy.) And her spirits defined the word eccentric. Aquarius was truly terrifying and quite disobedient, Taurus was a pervert, Lyra would only come out three times a month, Crux tended to sleep for a while, and Cancer wasn't particularly a battle spirit.

Lucy would have thought that adventuring wasn't fun until she met him.

Natsu Dragneel.

To be honest, Lucy could have never imagined that her life would turn upside so quickly after meeting him.

At first glance, Lucy wasn't impressed by the pink-haired boy and his talking flying cat. To her, Natsu was someone she figured she would see just once in her life and then never again.

But then the Bora incident happened and Natsu showed his true colors. He showed Lucy a life as a mage of Fairy Tail. For as long as she lived, she will never forget the look on his face as he battled Bora. He was pure power. Lucy was enthralled and excited. When she looked at Natsu defeating the fake Salamander (and consequentially destroying half the port in the process), Lucy thought, as she was running away from the authorities, that this was how adventuring should be.

And then Natsu invited her to join his guild, Fairy Tail. The rest, as they say, is history.

When Lucy entered Fairy Tail for the first time, shocked wasn't the first word that came into mind. Not even five minutes since his return to the guild, Natsu started a fight about something. Then this half-naked guy starts fighting with him. Some guy talking about how this and that is manly gets knocked out in one hit and some woman is drinking alcohol out of a barrel. The first word that came into Lucy's head was Pandemonium. But she had to admit that this place was fun.

On Lucy's first adventure with Natsu, she learned that she had to quickly toughen up in order to keep up with the fireball. Natsu had no problem walking around in a vest, scarf and no shirt on a mountain whereas Lucy used Horologium to protect herself from the cold.

Lucy learned very quickly that traveling with Natsu required a certain toughness, a will to do what needed to be done no matter the cost. When she first started her adventure, Lucy never thought that she would possess such traits. But she toughened up very quickly. The missions that Natsu picked always ended up with her having to fight. At times, she wanted to quit and stop her adventuring and life a quiet life.

But one incident would change her mind about this.

When Phantom Lord attacked Fairy Tail to capture her, Lucy was crushed. She always had a feeling that her father would come and get her when he wanted her. It filled her with guilt that she drew her guildmates, her newfound friends, into her business and they were hurt because of it. Levy and Team Shadow Gear were crucified in public view. The master was drained of his magic. It was all at her door.

But Natsu had rescued her from Jose. They fought so fiercely to protect her from Phantom Lord. And not once did they blame her. Not once did they mention to her that it was her fault. Fairy Tail had accepted her, not as Lucy Heartfilia of the Heartfilia fortune, but as Just Lucy. For the first time, she was wanted.

So, it was that after the battle was over and Phantom Lord was defeated, Lucy had to confront the man who was responsible for the attack on Fairy Tail, her father, Jude Heartfilia.

Lucy told her father, in essence, that she was going to continue on her adventure with Fairy Tail and left the Heartfilia house for good.

From then on, Lucy enjoyed her adventures. Erza, for all of her scariness, was like an older sister to Lucy. Gray was a loyal teammate who just happen to have a habit of stripping. Happy, though he teased her often, was less of a pet and more of a friend who helped her out when Natsu wasn't around.

And Natsu?

At this, Lucy would always get stuck. At times, Natsu was like an annoying younger brother who had no sense of decorum. Sometimes he is this battle-hardened warrior who cannot be defeated. He could also be a helpless kitten, especially when it came to transportation. He was also a hero who rescued her whenever she was in a pinch. But his best quality, as far as Lucy was concerned, was his zeal for life and adventure. He loved life and lived it to the fullest. Natsu loved adventuring. No matter the dangers that he faced, he did so with a smile.

Lucy smiled. It is because of Natsu that she loved to adventure.

And that's when it hit her. Perhaps the real reason that she loved adventuring isn't because she can see new things, become stronger and be independent. It was because she was adventuring with people with whom she could trust... especially Natsu.

* * *

Lucy found herself on another adventure with Natsu. The mayor of a town whose name she couldn't remember off the top of her head had requested mages to defeat a bunch of monsters that attacked his village. As they traveled, the Stellar Spirit mage couldn't help but feel unusually happy.

Happy flew within eye range. "Lucy, you are smiling. Why?"

Lucy gave Happy a wide smile. "I am just happy."

The blue Exceed gave Lucy a discerning look and flew to Natsu. "Natsu, Lucy's acting strange." He mock-whined.

"Yeah, Lucy's weird like that." Natsu laughed.

Normally, Lucy would get indignant and yell at them. But today, the blonde smiled back at them. "I guess so." She responded simply. "I am just so happy to be adventuring with you."

Natsu and Happy looked at each other for a moment and smiled with her.

"I feel the same way." Natsu smiled.

"Aye." said the Exceed.

Lucy giggled. "I'm all fired up." She yelled out, slapping her hand into her forearm.

"Hey, that's my line." Natsu huffed.

"Lucy, stop taking Natsu's line." Happy stuck out his tongue.

Lucy then started out into a run. "Last one to the town has to wear Gray's underwear on their head."

Natsu and Happy gave chase. The three of them laughed along the way, enjoying their latest adventure. Lucy had only one thought as she ran.

_"I hope my adventuring days with Natsu never end."_

* * *

Word count: 1818

**And that, my friends, is the letter A.**

**So what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Have no opinion whatsoever? Leave me a review.**

**And here's a hint to guess what word I'll use for the letter B.**

_Lucy never did like celebrating it. The memory of her father forgetting it was painful. But Natsu and all of Fairy Tail would change that._

**This one is an easy one. You should have no problem guessing the letter.**

**Well, until next chapter.**

A. Angel


	2. B is for Birthday

**So here it is, chapter 2. I'd like to thank the people who reviewed, especially PhoenixedDragon who reminded me make sure to keep a good pace with the story. I think that it is my biggest problem as an author. I get into a groove and, as soon as I want to end it, I rush it. Gotta keep this in mind.**

**Anyways, here's chapter two. Also, 3 points to PhoenixedDragon, tinac, and xXLovelyAnimeLoverXx for guessing the B work correctly.**

**And now, our feature presentation. This is somewhat unbetaed. I gave it a quick once over but if there are any mistakes, I'll fix them later.  
**

* * *

**B is for Birthday**

_The greatest gift you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance. ~ Brian Tracy_

The morning rays peered through Lucy's window as she slept in her bed. As the light gently caressed her face, the blonde wrinkled her nose cutely at the intrusion. Finally realizing that she wasn't going to go back to sleep, Lucy opened her eyes to greet the new day.

She stretched her limbs and when she heard a satisfying pop, Lucy dropped them and was fully awake. The Stellar Spirit mage stared out of the window for a moment to admire the serenity of Magnolia. Not for the first time, she was very happy that she was a mage of Fairy Tail.

Lucy removed the light covers that she used for the warm summer months. Normally, she started her day with a light bath to remove the sweat of the night. But today, she made a detour to her desk to check her calendar.

Today is June 29th, X792.

She frowned a bit. It was getting close to that day.

July 1

Lucy realized that that date was fast approaching... her birthday. She would be 18 years old. (Actually, she should be 25 but she had lost 7 years due to the events on Tenrou Island.) Lucy never did like celebrating her birthday. It wasn't that she had an aversion to getting old. There was a very specific reason.

When she was a little girl and her birthday came around, Lucy had made a riceball for her father. She just wanted him to spend some time with her for her birthday. But Jude Heartfilia chased her off, telling her that he had work to do. She cried immensely.

From then on, Lucy never was happy when her birthday came around. Sure, the servants in her mansion gushed over how beautiful she was becoming or how much she reminded them of her mother. The young lady would smile but never feel happy.

Years would pass and her hurt would turn into a dull ache. When Lucy turned sixteen, she remarked the day as if it where any other day. Lucy's seventeenth birthday, she spent on her adventure. Under the stars, she made a wish. She wished for a change in her life.

A couple of days later, Lucy met a whirlwind of change in the form of a pink-haired Dragon Slayer named Natsu Dragneel.

Lucy would have never thought that that guy would become anything more than a friend but she would have been wrong. Natsu was now her boyfriend, her boyfriend of almost five weeks. Lucy smiled. Although the start of their romantic relationship was... unorthodox to say the least, they were together now and that's all that mattered.

Lucy headed into the bath and performed her ablutions. After drying herself off, she wrapped a towel around her body, making sure that _this tim_e it was tied tight. The Stellar Spirit mage didn't want a repeat of last time. Just the thought of last time made her shiver... in a good way. Lucy shook her head. If she thought on that, she'd never get dressed.

Lucy opened her closet. Today she was feeling reserved, so she picked out a light white sleeveless shirt and a light green skirt that went down to her knees. She also chose some soft heel shoes, a choice made because her boyfriend Natsu (it still felt weird saying that) always dragged her around Magnolia to do stuff. But, in all honesty, she wouldn't have it any other way.

Now fully dressed and equipped with her whip and keychain that housed the keys of her Spirits, Lucy gave herself a onceover in the mirror. Winking at her reflection, she knew she looked good.

"I look pretty good today." She said to the reflection.

"You sure do."

Lucy jumped at the voice. She turned around to see Natsu crouching on her windowsill smiling. Perched on the Dragon Slayer's shoulders was his feline companion, Happy.

"Natsu." She shrieked. "Use the front door. It's why I gave you the key."

Natsu gave her a childish grin. "But it's more fun this way, Luce." He told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, Lucy's expressions are the best." Happy chimed in.

Lucy sighed. She would have thought that being Natsu's girlfriend would have changed his barging in on her. But when they started being boyfriend and girlfriend, she was surprised to see that not much changed in their relationship. They still went on missions together. He still barged into her apartment without permission. They were still the best of friends. Really, the only thing that changed is how they would describe themselves to others. (Well, there was still some of the perks that came with being in a relationship: dates, kisses, and the like.) Nothing major changed. For that, she was grateful.

Natsu jumped off the windowsill and moved in close to Lucy. He leaned in for a kiss. She granted it to him. It was a quick peck, not one of those searing kisses that left her weak in the knees, begging for more.

"Morning, Luce." Natsu murmured against her lips.

(Oh, did I mention that Natsu started calling her Luce now? This happened right after the start of their relationship. Rarely would he call her Lucy that was usually when they were on a mission. He didn't want anyone else to think that calling her Luce was okay. Luce was _his_ name for her and no one else's.)

"Good morning, Natsu." She whispered softly.

Happy flew off of Natsu's shoulder. Lucy held open her arms and embraced the Exceed.

"Morning, Lucy." He chirped happily.

"Good morning to you, Happy." She responded.

Lucy then turned to Natsu. "So what's on the agenda today?" She asked.

"Wanna go to the guild to see if there are any good missions?" Natsu asked.

"Sure. I could use the extra jewels." She answered. "That way, I can have some money put aside for next month's rent."

"I'm all fired up." Natsu shouted his catchphrase.

"Ayesir." Happy answered with his.

Lucy giggled. Nothing has changed at all.

To tell the truth, she was hoping for a long mission with Natsu to forget about her upcoming birthday. She had no desire to be in town to celebrate. The blonde mage didn't want anyone going overboard for her sake. In any case, being with Natsu and Happy on an adventure was a far better present than anyone can gave her.

There was a knock at her door. Lucy turned to the door. Natsu regarded this noise curiously. Taking a whiff of the air, he could smell that the scent of the knocker was no one he knew.

"Who is it?" Lucy asked.

"Delivery, ma'am." The voice answered.

Lucy was cautious. She wasn't concerned that the voice may try something. She was a mage. Plus Natsu was there as well. The two of them could handle anything. However, it didn't hurt to be cautious.

"Delivery from who?" She asked without hesitancy.

"It says Migdalia Heartfilia." The voice responded.

"Auntie?" She whispered.

Why would her aunt send her something? It's been almost 10 years since they've seen each other. So why now?

Lucy opened the door. A man in brown pants and khakis smiled at her. "Well, good morning, miss." The man winked, putting on a charm that Lucy felt was so superficial. "I've got a big package for you."

Lucy bristled. Did he actually use that line on her? _Does that ever work on any girl,_ she wondered.

"Hey Lucy, who is it?" Natsu's voice rang out from behind her. He stood next to her, observing the man at the door.

The delivery guy's face fell. "Delivery man." The guy mumbled and handed Lucy a non-descript box. He then gave her a pad and asked her to sign for the package.

Lucy signed and then closed the door with the package in her hand. She placed it on her desk.

"So what's in the box?" Natsu asked excitedly. "Is it something good?"

"Yeah, it could be fish." Happy chirped. "You should open it."

Lucy glowered a bit at the duo. "It's my package and they are the ones excited." She deadpanned.

Taking great care not to just rip it open, Lucy used a letter opener to cut the tape on the box so she could open it properly. She reached in the box. The blonde moved the Styrofoam peanuts inside until she felt something spherical. With a delicate touch, Lucy lifted the object. Natsu and Happy both shared looks of excitement.

She pulled out a dark red glass sphere that was attached to a base. Natsu and Happy stared dumbfounded.

"It's a glass ball." Happy whined, totally deflated.

"What a gyp." Natsu quipped.

Lucy glared at them. "It's not a glass ball." She explained, a little miffed as if they were the ones receiving the gift. She took a good look at the sphere and recognized it for what it was. "It's a magic viewing sphere. It's called the holosphere for short." She explained.

"What's that, Lucy?" Happy asked.

Lucy smiled. "How about I show you?"

She put her hand on the holosphere and poured a little magic into it.

"Ballet." She whispered to the sphere.

The holosphere flashed many colors. Then a light shined from the top. The light widened out until it reached the ceiling of her cozy apartment. Inside the light, two figures, a man and a woman, were dancing a ballet. Music then could be heard coming from the sphere. The figures danced to the music.

Natsu and Happy stood entranced by the scene. Lucy just smiled.

"That is so cool." Natsu yelled.

"Aye" was Happy's reply.

"You've never seen one before?" Lucy asked.

The two shook their heads.

"Well, this is how it works." Lucy enlightened. "You put your hand to the sphere and place a little magic in it." She glanced at Natsu. "A little magic." She growled at the Dragon Slayer, who noticeably jumped up at the tone. "Then you say a word and the holosphere shows you the image."

Happy laughed. "Lucy, can I try?" He asked.

"Just be gentle with it." She chided softly.

Happy put a hand to the sphere and poured a little of his magic in it. "Fish." He said.

Lucy blanched. "How did I know he would say that?"

The holosphere shined a light from the top. Now, images of fish could be seen swimming on Lucy's ceiling.

"Oooh. Fish." Happy squealed and shot up to the ceiling to catch one of the fish. But Happy's head met with the wood from the ceiling.

"It's just an image, Happy." Lucy smiled. "It's not real."

Happy just rubbed his head.

Natsu laughed. "Okay. My turn." He put his hand to the holosphere. "I want to see Igneel." He asked the sphere.

But this time, no light came out. Nothing shone. Basically, it just stood there.

"What gives?" He asked Lucy.

"The holosphere only shows things that are in its memory." Lucy told him. "I don't think it can show anything specific."

Natsu's face fell a bit. "Too bad."

Lucy frowned. She knew how special Igneel is to him. "Natsu." She murmured.

Natsu then smiled that childish grin of his. "Aw well!" He shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather see the real Igneel anyways."

Lucy smiled with him.

"Natsu." Happy flew in front of him. "We should get one of these."

"You're right. Luce, how much do one of these things go for?" He asked.

Lucy chuckled in embarrassment. "They start at around 30 million jewels?" She answered.

"Ehhhh?" The twosome yelled, completely deflated.

"But you don't have to get one for yourselves." She quickly countered. "You can use mine as long as you don't break it."

Natsu and Happy's eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Lucy." They both shouted.

Natsu scooped up Lucy in a hug and spun her around while Happy grabbed onto one of her shoulders. The blonde blushed at Natsu's close proximity but welcomed the embrace. "Luce is the best girlfriend ever." The Dragon Slayer laughed, causing her blush to be more pronounced.

After Natsu set her down, he then regarded her with a curious look. "But why would your aunt give you such an expensive gift?" He asked.

Although Lucy's face was in neutral, internally she sweated. The blonde realized right after she opened the gift and saw what was inside why she was given the gift. It was a birthday gift. It was unfortunate that she got it while Natsu was here. The Stellar Spirit mage didn't want Natsu to feel obligated to get her something for her birthday. In fact, she didn't want to celebrate it at all. So many memories...

"I guess she gave it to me because we haven't seen each other in such a long time" was Lucy's answer and it wasn't far from the truth.

Natsu just shrugged. The reason really didn't matter to him. "Whatever. Now come on and let's go to the guild. I bet there are some really good missions today." Natsu pumped his fist.

"I hope so." Lucy smiled.

Happy nudged Lucy gently. "Lucy, can I have the box so I can store my fish."

"Sure." Lucy responded.

Happy took the box and flew out of the window. "I'll see you two later. I'm going to drop this at the house."

With that, Happy was off.

Natsu and Lucy were now alone. He touched her fingertips with his own. The blonde blushed. Natsu leaned in and captured Lucy's lips. She quivered in pleasure as they kissed.

When they first kissed for the first time on that night, they were sloppy and uncoordinated. And yet, Natsu still took her breath away with these. Now, after weeks of practice, they got into a rhythm. His kisses seared her very soul.

"Come on, Natsu." Lucy whispered. "If we don't go, all of the good missions will be taken."

Natsu whined like a child whose toy was taken away from him. "Fine."

With that, Natsu and Lucy felt for the guild.

* * *

The Fairy Tail guild's door opened wide and allowed Natsu and Lucy to enter. With their victory in the Grand Magic Games over six months ago, Fairy Tail won the 30 million jewels. With that, they were able to purchase back the land under their first guild. The Fairies fixed up the building to the way it was before the Tenrou Island.

The couple surveyed the scene in the guild. Mira was behind the bar, cleaning glasses. Erza was at one of the tables, eating some strawberry cake. Macao and Wakaba were talking about the old days. Cana was drinking so early in the morning. Team Shadow Gear were deciding on taking a mission. Gray and Juvia were at a table, eating and talking.

Gray and Juvia.

These two had become a couple during the Grand Magic Games. They were very happy together. Gray smiled a lot more and Juvia was less obsessive. Lucy was very happy for them.

"Come on, Lucy." Natsu guided her to the mission board. "Let's pick something."

They were about to get there when Happy came bursting through the door. "Natsu, Natsu." He shouted.

Natsu's face turned into a frown. "What's the matter?"

"I need to talk to you now." Happy looked very serious.

"What's the matter?" He asked, very concerned.

"What's wrong?" Lucy was very worried.

"Something's wrong at the house." Happy cried.

"Really?" He wondered. "Alright, I'll head over."

"I'll go with you." Lucy added.

"Nah. It's Natsu's mess." Happy giggled. "He needs to clean it up. His girlfriend shouldn't have to clean up after him."

With that, Natsu and Happy left the guild, leaving Lucy with a stunned look on her face.

"What was that about?" She wondered.

* * *

Natsu and Happy raced towards the house. When they were inside, Natsu huffed. "There's no mess here."

Happy flew to the box that he got from Lucy. He went digging through the peanuts and found a letter. The blue Exceed handed the letter to Natsu who read it aloud.

_My dearest niece Lucy,_

_I hope that my gift reaches you and that you are well._

_I am so sorry for the loss of your father. He was always so worried about you._

_I know that your birthday will be in two days by the time you get this but I've been having issues of my own so I sent it to you early._

_I hope that the first of July gives you great joy._

_Your aunt_

_Migdalia_

Natsu held the letter in his hand, thunderstruck.

"Lucy's birthday is in two days?" He asked, already knowing the answer. "How come this is the first time I've heard about it?"

Normally Happy would have a snarky remark here but he was just as sad not knowing about it.

"Let's go ask Lucy." The Exceed told him.

With renewed vigor, the duo headed back to the guild.

* * *

"What do you mean Lucy left?" Natsu asked Mira.

Mirajane smiled. "She went with Levy and Team Shadow Gear on a mission the next town over. She should be back tomorrow afternoon."

Natsu frowned. It wasn't like Lucy to go off on a mission without telling him.

"Lucy said that she was sorry to leave without saying goodbye and that she'll make it up to you when she gets back." Mira comforted him. "She also said that you can go to her apartment to play with the holosphere as long as you don't break anything." She added.

Natsu sat at the bar, feeling dejected. Mira patted his shoulder

"You don't have to be worried, Natsu." Mira told him. "It's an easy mission. They are just undoing a hex on a building. Nothing serious. Besides, Lucy's strong."

"I know she is." Natsu replied. "That's not it."

Mira gave Natsu her full attention. "Then what's wrong?" She asked, concerned.

Natsu sighed. "Did you know Lucy's birthday is in two days?"

Mira's eyes widened. "Lucy's birthday is in two days?" She repeated. "I wonder why she didn't say anything."

"That's my point." Natsu exclaimed. "How come she didn't say anything to me about it?"

"Maybe she didn't want to make a big deal about it." The barmaid pointed out.

"But it's suppose to be a big deal." Natsu slammed his hands against the counter. "The day of your birth should be a big deal. It should be a happy occasion, a big celebration."

Then Natsu stopped. A big smile crept onto his face.

Mira caught it and smiled as well. "So what are you going to do?"

"I need your help." Natsu told her.

* * *

June 30th

Lucy and Team Shadow Gear had returned to Magnolia Station via train after their mission was complete. It was hassle free. The Stellar Spirit mage felt a little bad leaving Natsu without so much as a word but he'd understand.

Lucy spied a familiar head of pink hair in the crowd. She ran towards it.

"Natsu!" She shouted to get his attention.

"Lucy!" He greeted her with a smile. "Welcome back." Natsu then embraced his girlfriend. They were about to kiss when they heard the voice of their blue-haired friend.

"PDA, Lucy." Levy teased, sticking her tongue out at Lucy.

Lucy blushed and removed herself from his embrace. "Sorry." She laughed in embarrassment.

"How'd the mission go?" He asked. "No, wait. Let's go get some food. I'm hungry." And on cue, Natsu's stomach roared.

"I'm hungry too." She answered. Lucy then turned to Levy. "Levy, Jet, Droy, you want to join us for dinner?"

Natsu cleared his throat. "Actually, they have to go back at the guild." He told her. "Mira wants them for something."

"That's fine." Levy smiled. "Didn't want to see you two make out in front of me anyways." She joked.

Lucy smirked. "Remember what we talked about."

Levy, in turn, blushed. With that, Team Shadow Gear left for the guild.

"So, why did they need to go to the guild?" Lucy asked.

"Mira wanted them. I didn't ask." Natsu replied.

Lucy didn't ask any more questions, hunger getting the best of her.

Natsu walked her to her apartment after dinner. She was getting tired and was about to knock out. To keep from falling asleep while walking, Lucy engaged her boyfriend in conversation.

"So what happened while I was away?" Lucy asked.

Natsu was never a good liar. He knew that Lucy would catch him if he veered from the truth. But he also didn't want to ruin the surprise. The dragon slayer wanted his girlfriend to be completely caught off guard.

"Oh you know. The usual." He drawled. "Me and Gray got into a fight. Erza knocked us over the head."

In truth, that is what happened. But he hid the reason for the fight from her.

"Will you two ever grow up?" She giggled. Lucy blinked her eyes as if remembering something. "By the way, where's Happy?" She asked

"He's running an errand." He told her cryptically.

Lucy would have pushed this further but a yawn escaped from her mouth. "Sorry." She sheepishly apologized.

"Nah." Natsu waved it off. "Come on. Let's get you to bed."

Natsu helped Lucy, who was starting to doze off, into her apartment. The blonde didn't even bother getting undress. As soon as her body hit the bed, the Stellar Spirit mage was out like a light. Natsu chuckled and kissed her on her forehead.

"Good night, Luce. Sleep well." With that, he let himself out.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy got up and stretched. During her stretching, she realized what today is. July 1st, her birthday.

It's odd. For some reason, she didn't feel the dull ache that usually accompanied her birthday. Lucy wondered why.

Completing her morning ritual, she put on some clothes. Today felt like a pink sundress with spaghetti straps kind of day. Lucy twirled around in the dress, feeling happy for some reason.

"Good morning, Luce." Natsu's voice rang out from her window.

"Natsu, can you one day please use the door?" She pleaded.

"Doors are a hassle." He smiled. "Now come on, Luce. Let's go to the guild."

Lucy smiled. "This time, let's take a mission together."

Hand in hand, they made the journey to the guild.

"By the way, where's Happy?" She asked.

"He's already at the guild." Natsu answered.

They had arrived at their destination. Natsu pushed the doors open.

Lucy narrowed her eyes. The guild was pitch black. "Natsu, what's going on?"

All of a sudden, the lights turned on.

"SURPRISE." A loud shout reverberated through the guild. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LUCY."

Her guildmates, her nakama clapped as she entered the building.

"How did you guys know?" She asked.

Happy took this time to fly up to her. He handed Lucy a letter. "This was in the box that the holosphere was in." He explained. "I'm sorry that we read it."

Tears started to form in Lucy's eyes. "You guys..."

Natsu hugged her with one arm. "We were a little sad when you didn't tell us when your birthday was."

Lucy shook her head. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

Erza stood up. "It is a big deal." She told the girl. "You are our nakama, family."

Gray was the next to speak. "We are showing you how much you mean to Fairy Tail."

Natsu held her firm. "So don't you say it isn't a big deal to you because it's a big deal to us."

The Stellar Spirit mage was in awe. Lucy then remembered all of the good times that she shared with Fairy Tail, with her family. It truly made her happy. All of the pain that she had once associated with her birthday had left. In its place was this feeling of happiness and acceptance. Once again, it was moments like these that reinforced the idea that she belonged with Fairy Tail.

Master Makarov cleared his throat. "Now that the guest of honor is here, I say we party all day to celebrate Lucy's birthday."

A loud cheer erupted from the guild.

Lucy received many presents from her guildmates. She got a new mirror from Mira, a first edition hard cover book from Levy, some extremely sexy lingerie from Cana (She blushed when Cana told her that it was also a present for Natsu as well), two tickets to a resort from Gray and Juvia and many more.

But Lucy's favorite present was from Natsu. He slipped behind her and put something cool around her neck. She looked down and saw that she was wearing a necklace. Attached to it was a key pendent.

Lucy turned around to see Natsu smile down on her. "Do you like it, Luce?" He asked hesitantly. "Because I wasn't too sure what to get you. I mean, I've never..."

But that was all he got out because Lucy kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

After the kiss was done, Natsu smirked. "I guess that's a yes."

"Of course it is." Lucy smiled.

The rest of the day was spent partying and eating cake. There were games and singing and all around celebrating.

Lucy fingered the pendant around her neck and smiled.

Best birthday ever.

* * *

_Word Count: 4220_

**So how was that? Loved it? Hate it? Have no strong opinions one way or the other? Leave me a review. Love to hear from readers. It takes only two minutes to fill my inbox with something other than offers for viagra. :-P**

**And here's a preview for the next chapter**

_Lucy always worried she was bringing the team down. Her Spirits did all the work. Take away her keys and what was she? That's why she resolved to get stronger. That was the strength of her will._

**This might be a hard one. Any guesses to what C word I'm using? Leave them in the review.**

**Those who've read the second chapter of my Gruvia fic already know what Lucy was referring to when she mentions "that time". But I am pretty sure you can guess what it is.  
**

**Until next time**

**A. Angel.**


	3. C is for Conviction

**Well, we have reached the third chapter. And to be honest, this one caused me so much trouble. I went through six versions of the story in my head and tried to make it work. This one was irritating. I should have had this one done yesterday. But this chapter was not going the way I wanted it to so I cannibalized it and mashed some of the ideas I had together. In the end, what is before you is the best I could do with this. I liked the beginning and the middle but the ending was what killed me.  
**

**Anyways, thanks to those who reviewed, especially the ones who have read every story in the Fairy Tail Challenge fics. It was your reviews that kept me going.  
**

**Finally, one point to PhoenixedDragon, reader713, and LovelyAnimeLover. I gave them that point because although the word I was looking for is Conviction, the words they chose are somewhat similar.  
**

**Anyways, let this trainwreck begin.**

* * *

**C is for Conviction**

_A man with conviction can weather any dilemma._

Team Natsu had just returned to Magnolia from a mission destroying the dark guild Witches Six. They were completely exhausted, none more than Lucy. While everyone was laughing and reminiscing about the mission, the Stellar Spirit mage was more reserved, only talking when she was prompted.

Natsu turned to his quiet girlfriend and smiled. "So what do you want to do now, Luce?" He asked. Then he noticed her face.

Lucy's eyes were downcast and her expression grim.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Happy asked. "You haven't said anything since we came back."

Lucy jumped to attention at someone addressing her. "Huh, sorry Happy." She apologized. "I guess I am just exhausted."

Natsu regarded her seriously. He had a niggling feeling that Lucy wasn't being completely honest. She had barely said anything since the train ride back to Magnolia. But he didn't want to press the issue. She would tell him when she was good and ready.

"Alright, Luce." He said softly. "I'll take you home."

With that, Natsu lifted Lucy and carried her bridal-style to her apartment. The Stellar Spirit mage didn't protest which was unusual. She was really out of it, Natsu noted.

Natsu opened the door to her apartment quietly and gently laid Lucy on her bed. He took off the belt which housed her Keys and placed it on the nightstand next to her bed.

"Is Lucy going to be okay, Natsu?" Happy asked, concerned about his friend.

"Of course she is." Natsu smiled. It wasn't one of his childish bright grins or his battle loving smirks. It was one that he only used whenever the subject of Lucy was brought up. It was a small but very real and true smile that lit up his face. "She's Fairy Tail strong, after all."

Happy smiled as well. "Aye."

Natsu turned to his flying friend. "Happy, why don't you head home and guard the house?" He said.

The blue Exceed looked like he was going to protest but the look on Natsu face sealed it for him. He was worried about Lucy. "Ayesir." He agreed.

Happy nuzzled his cheek against Lucy's before he left. "Feel better, Lucy." He whispered and flew out of the apartment.

Natsu watched his girlfriend's sleeping form. Her beautiful blond hair that flowed like a golden river. Her cute mouth that was opened just a tiny bit. Her adorable nose that scrunched up sometimes whenever she felt that there was something disturbing her sleep. Her gorgeous face which was peaceful, devoid of all worries and fear. Her flat stomach that rose and fell with each inhale and exhale of breath.

His heart swelled. Lucy was downright beautiful. She was the object of many men's desires, a fantasy made reality. She could have any guy she wanted. But she chose him. Natsu Dragneel, the firebrand. Why she chose him, Natsu had no idea. But he would make sure to cherish every moment with her.

"Goodnight, Luce." He whispered to her sleeping body. "When you are ready to tell me, I'll listen."

He leaned down towards the bed and kissed her softly on the cheek. Natsu figured that Lucy wouldn't like sleeping in her dirty clothes so he took them off and replaced them with an oversize shirt and pajama bottoms. He chuckled. Normally, the Dragon Slayer would want to play with her a little before bed but his girlfriend seemed so exhausted. Done with his task, he made his way to the couch in the living room. Putting his stuff on it, Natsu packed out the stuff he took for the trip and laid it down.

Deciding that he didn't want a hassle, Natsu made himself a bowl of cereal and ate it in silence. When he was done, the dragon slayer took the couch. Normally, he would sleep with Lucy in her bed but she was very choosy about when he could sleep with her and when he couldn't. Natsu respected that, well sometimes. Although the couch wasn't as comfortable as Lucy's bed, he fell asleep quickly.

* * *

Lucy could feel the anger at her opponent, a man by the name of Jadeite. He was what Lucy would call a pretty boy. His hair was long and wavy, his body lean and lanky. But it was his eyes that Lucy hated. Such malevolent green eyes.

He was a member of Witches Six. They made their headquarters in a hollowed out cave. The others were involved with their own battles, leaving her to fight this man.

"Ahh, you are the beautiful Lucy Heartfilia." He greeted in a mocking manner. He bowed courteously. "I am Jadeite. It is such an honor to be in the presence of a noble lady."

Lucy was not fooled. She pulled out her keys, reaching for one of them. But then she saw something out of the corner of her eyes. It was a long red energy beam snaked out towards her. She jumped out of the way.

"No, no, no, milady." Jadeite clicked his tongue. "A lady must never dirty herself fighting."

"Shut up." She spat.

"Such uncouth language." He mocked. "Have you even gone to finishing school? You should remember your charm lessons."

Lucy's response was to snap her whip at Jadeite who dodged it with ease.

"Ahh, such a foolish girl." The man teased viciously. "Delicate women such as yourself shouldn't be on the battlefield."

Lucy tried her best not to take this man seriously. She grabbed her keys.

_Open the gate of the lion, Loke_

Loke appeared from the Spirit World in full regalia. "Your prince has arrived, my princess." Loke teased, a smile on his face. "Leave the fighting to me. I'll show you how much better I am than your boyfriend."

Lucy bristled at the comment. "Just go." She shouted.

Jadeite sighed and put his forefinger and middle finger to his forehead. "How unsightly, princess." He ridiculed Lucy. "You have become more disgusting trying to fight."

Loke glared viciously at his enemy. "Don't you dare speak about my master like that." He grounded out. "I won't go easy on you now." The Lion Spirit adjusted his ring.

**REGULUS IMPACT**

Loke cast his magic to hit Jadeite but the pretty boy dodged easily.

"How could you serve such a weak woman?" Jadeite whistled.

"Lucy isn't weak." Loke roared.

"Isn't she?" The enemy drawled. "I mean she used the one magic that doesn't require much work."

Jadeite was hit with the crack of the whip in his face. Blood stained his cheek.

"Such an ugly woman." Jadeite derided. He wiped his cheek and threw the blood in Lucy's direction. "How can you fight? You are so weak."

Lucy believe what she was hearing. "I'll show you who is weak and ugly." She growled, her face contorting in anger.

"Such a disgusting face." Jadeite smiled maliciously. "A lady must always smile in order to make others feel better."

Lucy snapped her whip again but this time Jadeite grabbed her whip and pulled her in.

"Lucy." Loke shouted.

The enemy smiled and put some of his blood on Lucy's forehead.

"Now listen to me." Jadeite whispered in her ears.

Lucy's brown eyes became blank.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" Loke asked.

"You are weak." Jadeite told her.

"I am weak." Lucy repeated.

"Lucy, snap out of it." Loke pleaded.

"You are delicate." Jadeite prompted.

"I am delicate." Lucy repeated again.

"What the hell is going on?" Loke growled.

"You do not belong on the battlefield. You belong at home." Jadeite cooed maliciously.

"I do not belong on the battlefield. I belong at home." Lucy repeated with the same listlessness as before.

Loke realized what was happening. "Demotivational magic." He gasped. "Magic that goes after the heart."

Jadeite smirked at the lion. "That's correct, Celestial Spirit. My magic steals the conviction from an individual." He explained. "I am sure that that you understand that a person's magic is determined by the conviction in their hearts. When they are determined to battle, their magic is strong and vice versa."

Loke gasped. "And since Stellar Spirit magic is determined by the conviction in their hearts, if they feel weak, the Spirit becomes weak."

"Very good." Jadeite mockingly congratulated. "You see, normally I can demotivate a mage with my words. But with stronger willed mages, putting my blood on my enemies makes the magic stronger."

Loke glared at Jadeite. "Then I'll defeat you now."

**REGULUS BLAST**

Loke launched a Regulus Blast aimed at Jadeite. But he put Lucy in the line of fire.

"Lucy!" Loke shouted and pulled the magic upwards, hitting the ceiling with the magic. It caused some of the rocks to fall down. It was heading down on Jadeite and Lucy.

"Dammit." Jadeite cursed and abandoned Lucy to dodge the rocks.

"Lucy, get out of the way." Loke shouted at her. But she didn't respond.

He was too far to move Lucy out of the way but still he ran towards her.

Suddenly, from out of the ether, Capricorn appeared and grab Lucy in his arms.

"Lucy-sama." Capricorn greeted his master. "My apologies. I had to open my own gate to get here."

Lucy didn't respond. Capricorn looked into her eyes.

"Remove the blood from her forehead, Capricorn." Loke told his fellow spirit.

Capricorn did as Loke commanded. With that, the light in Lucy's eyes returned.

"Capricorn?" Lucy questioned. "What happened? How did you appear?"

"Leo will explain. Right now we need to defeat this man." Capricorn told her.

With their combined strength, Lucy was able to overcome Jadeite. As she was about to tie up the enemy, Jadeite chuckled.

"You should realize by now. A team is only as strong as its weakest link." Jadeite chided. "In your team, you are the weakest link. And forever you will remain. You should just give up now. You aren't cut out to be a mage."

With that Jadeite cackled malevolently.

* * *

Lucy woke up with a start, breathing heavily. She regarded her surroundings quickly and sighed in relief. She was back in her room. The sun was peeking over the horizon, signifying the dawn. The blonde looked down and saw that she was in her nightclothes.

"It was a dream." She whispered to herself. Then Lucy shook her head. "No, not a dream. It was what happened yesterday."

Lucy felt something on her face. She put her hand on her cheek and felt something wet that was in the process of drying.

"Tears." She murmured. "I was crying."

Everything started to come back to her. Though she wouldn't admit it to herself, what Jadeite said really cut her deep. The reason was simple. She had these feelings of powerlessness all along. Her friends, her nakama, they were extremely strong. Gray, Erza and her boyfriend Natsu, all of them were powerful beyond her wildest imagination. Sometimes she felt inadequate compared to them. Lucy knew she shouldn't feel this way. She was strong. But the blonde couldn't get Jadeite's words out of her head.

_You are weak._

_You are delicate._

_You do not belong on the battlefield._

Lucy wanted to scream in frustration but she knew that it would do no good. (And also the landlady would probably scold her.)

The Stellar Spirit mage felt the overwhelming need to get up. She didn't want to stay in bed any longer. When she got out of bed, Lucy felt so weak that she nearly fell over. Why was that?

Lucy headed to the bathroom via the living room. She saw Natsu sleeping on the couch and smiled. So he was the one who changed her. Lucy would have to thank him for that eventually.

Normally, Lucy would take a shower so she could get a start on the day but today, she felt like a bath to wash away everything that she was feeling. As the tub filled and she stepped in, she recounted everything that happened to her that day. The blonde still felt awful. She couldn't stop hearing Jadeite's words. They taunted her, teased her and tormented her.

Lucy couldn't take it anymore. She had to get away and do something, anything to keep her mind from thinking about that horrible man.

Finishing with her bath, she dried herself off and headed to her bedroom, one again passing by her sleeping boyfriend. She would have admired him a bit longer but Lucy was in a towel and she kinda didn't want a repeat of their first time, at least not today. Today she had something to do.

She got dressed quickly. Normally, she would meticulously plan out what she was going to wear for that day but today she put on the first thing that she grabbed. Today was going to be a long day for her, she knew.

Now dressed, she left her apartment, leaving Natsu alone.

* * *

Natsu felt something poking his cheek. At first, he wanted to ignore it but the poking continued. His eyes opened to see his flying friend continually poking him.

"Morning, Happy." Natsu mumbled sleepily.

"Morning, Natsu." Happy smiled. "Where's Lucy?"

Natsu cocked his head curiously. "Isn't she in her room?"

The blue Exceed shook his head. "I came though the window and I didn't see her."

The Dragon Slayer furrowed his eyebrows. How was it that he was unable to notice when Lucy left? Even if he was knocked out, Natsu would have recognized Lucy's scent. But then again, the whole apartment smelled of her. "Maybe she's at the guild?" He wondered, barely able to convince himself.

"That's probably it." Happy mumbled.

Natsu wasn't happy. Lucy hadn't talked to him since yesterday and it bothered him. "Let's go there ourselves."

"Aye." Happy mumbled without his usual enthusiasm.

* * *

Lucy found a place just outside Magnolia. It was a flat meadow devoid of trees and flowers. It was the perfect place to do this.

This morning, when she woke up, she felt weak. At the time, Lucy didn't know why that was. Now she did. She felt drained of magic. Whatever that bastard Jadeite did caused this. She felt disconnected to the magical world.

"I have to find out what's causing this so I can get stronger." Lucy resolved herself. "I can't have what happened yesterday to happen to me again, not when there are so many people depending on me."

She pulled out her keys.

_Open the gate to the goat, Capricorn_

From the ether, Capricorn appeared.

"You have summoned me, Lucy-sama." Capricorn stated matter-of-factly.

Instead of greeting her friend, Lucy dropped to one knee, causing Capricorn to rush to her side. She was breathing heavily.

"Lucy-sama, what is the matter?" He asked, concerned.

Lucy was trying to catch her breath. "I don't know." Lucy admitted. "I just tried summoning you."

"Perhaps you are not well." Capricorn said. "You should stay in bed for now."

Lucy weakly glared at her friend. "I don't want to stay in bed." She said, conviction shining her brown eyes. "I need to do this."

Capricorn wanted to argue but his master looked so adamant. At that moment, Lucy just looked like her mother, Layla Heartfilia.

"I understand, Lucy-sama." Capricorn agreed. "What is it that you require of me?"

Lucy nodded. "I can't feel my magic." She admitted. "I don't know why but I feel empty."

Capricorn nodded in understanding. "Well, since you have slept yesterday, you should have recovered your magic." The goat instructed. "Perhaps what you are feeling is a side effect of the magic you were hit with yesterday."

"So what should I do?" Lucy asked.

"Perhaps you should try releasing some magic." He told his master.

Lucy got into a meditative state and prepared to release some magic. As soon as she did, she could hear someone's voice.

_You are weak._

_You are delicate._

_You do not belong on the battlefield._

Lucy fell supine on the ground. She felt like her eyes were tied to one ton weights. Her magic wasn't responding to her.

"Lucy-sama." Capricorn shouted.

"What's wrong with me?" Lucy asked in short breaths.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" A voice asked.

The Stellar Spirit mage knew that voice.

"Loke, how can you be here?" She asked.

"I opened my own gate." The lion told her. "But that isn't important. What is important is your health."

"I'll be fine." She tried to convince her Spirits. "I just need a short breather."

* * *

"What do you mean Lucy isn't here?" Natsu yelled. "Did she take a mission by herself?"

Natsu had checked inside the guild to see if his girlfriend was there. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't the case.

Mira looked at Natsu in sadness. "Sorry, Natsu. Lucy hasn't been around today."

"Really?" The dragon slayer moaned dejectedly.

"I'm sorry." Mira sighed. She didn't when her friends were sad.

Natsu faked a smile. "I'll go look for her. But if she comes around here, can you tell Lucy that I'm looking for her and to stay here?"

The barmaid nodded. "Of course, Natsu." She smiled.

With that, Natsu and Happy ran off to find Lucy.

* * *

It was getting dark and Lucy felt like she wasn't making any progress. Capricorn had asked his master to close his gate so he may come out of his gate under his own magic. Next, he asked the mage to summon Cancer. When Lucy tried to do so, the door to Cancer didn't open.

Lucy breathed heavily. "I don't get it why isn't this working?" She yelled in frustration.

Loke looked to Capricorn who shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps you should get some rest, Lucy-sama." The goat spirit told her.

"Not yet." Lucy cried. "Not until I can get rid of those words."

"Words?" Loke asked, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Yeah." Lucy shut her eyes. "Every time I summon magic, I hear words. The words tell me that I am weak, I am delicate, and I don't belong on the battlefield. So I try to call on more magic but I feel exhausted afterwards." The Stellar Spirit mage dropped to her knees in anguish. "What's wrong with me?"

Loke sighed. "Perhaps you should rest for now."

"Leo's right." Capricorn agreed. "Perhaps some rest will help you recover, Lucy-sama."

Lucy was about to protest but a loud yawn from her silenced any objections.

The lion spirit gently grabbed her hand. "Come on, I'll take you home." He told her. "Your boyfriend is probably worried." The leader of the Zodiac teased.

However Lucy didn't respond. Her eyes were blinking rapidly, like she was fighting to stay awake. Loke decided to take charge. He carried her on his back and took her back to her apartment. The lion frowned. Whatever problem Lucy had, it is affecting her greatly. He made a vow to get Lucy back to the way she was.

* * *

Natsu probably went around the entire city of Magnolia looking for Lucy. But he found neither hide nor hair of her. The dragon slayer was getting worried. This was so unlike Lucy to just go off and not tell him anything that he immediately thought the worst.

"Where is Lucy?" He mumbled to himself.

Happy was worried too. Lucy was his friend. He could take no joy until his friend was found. "We will find Lucy, Natsu." The blue Exceed said mostly to cheer himself up.

After another quick trip to the guild to find that Lucy had not stopped by, Natsu had run out of ideas. It was getting dark and still no word from Lucy. The pink haired man decided to camp out at Lucy's apartment to wait for her return.

When he did, he saw his girlfriend sleeping in her bed. It was the strangest thing.

"She wasn't here when I came in, Natsu." Happy told him.

"I believe you." Natsu replied.

In fact, the only indication that she had even moved at all was that she was in a change of clothes.

Natsu felt the need to put his fingers against her body to see if she were real. Sure enough, when he did so, the dragon slayer felt soft, warm flesh.

"She's real." He murmured. "So why was she gone the entire day?" Natsu furrowed his brow. "I'm going to stay here tonight." He said to no one in particular.

"Can I stay here too, Natsu?" Happy asked.

"Of course."

Once again, Natsu took the couch. Happy slept in his arms. Both decided to wait until morning. That way, they could be there when Lucy awoke in the morning.

* * *

Lucy tossed and turned in her bed. She could still hear Jadeite's words.

_You are weak._

_You are delicate._

_You do not belong on the battlefield._

Every time she heard them, a tear was shed. It was like her entire body was trying to reject these words. But still they came.

Lucy woke up with a start for a second time. Those words... those awful words.

Lucy needed to get stronger so that she didn't have to hear those words again. She needed her conviction back. Those words haunted her even in her dreams. Yesterday, every time she tried to summon magic, she would hear those words.

"Not today." Lucy thought. "Today, I will use magic without hearing those words.

She got out of bed. Forgoing the bath today (which was a rarity even for her), Lucy got dressed in a long t-shirt and some khaki shorts. Today, she didn't want to look good. She wanted to quickly return to her training.

As she was about to leave, Lucy saw Natsu and Happy sleeping on her couch. She smiled sadly. The blonde still hadn't talked to either of them since the mission. Although it pained her to do so, Lucy left without saying a word. She didn't want to worry them. And this was something she had to do on her own.

* * *

Natsu woke up when he felt Happy struggling against him. His eyes quickly adjusted to the change in light. The first thing that he did was to check Lucy's room to see if his girlfriend was there. Once again, Lucy had disappeared without a word. This was starting to frustrate him.

"This time, I'll find you." He vowed.

Natsu woke Happy and began their search.

The first place he checked was the guild. It would make sense that she would stop here first. As soon as he opened the doors, Natsu scanned the hall to see if his girlfriend was here.

"Lucy!" He yelled.

The entire guild watched him as he yelled.

"Why are you yelling, Natsu?" Erza asked him.

The armored mage was eating breakfast when Natsu's yelling interrupted her. Everyone learned from experience that it wasn't a smart thing to interrupt Erza in the morning. She was especially scary in the morning.

"I can't find Lucy." Natsu told her.

The red-haired woman stopped eating and got up. "What do you mean?" She asked, now concerned for her friend and teammate.

"She's been acting off ever since we got back from our mission." The pink haired man explained. "Yesterday, she left for the entire day and didn't tell me where she was going. And when I went back to her place at night, she was already asleep. So last night, I stayed over her apartment to make sure she's alright. But this morning, she left without a word."

Erza's gaze softened as Natsu explained what happened to Lucy. It wasn't like her to just leave without saying anything. If she was worried about Lucy, Natsu was probably going out of his mind.

"Okay." Erza said. "Everyone fan out and search for Lucy." She commanded. "Bring her back to the guild."

A loud yell of agreement resounded from every member of the guild as they poured out of Fairy Tail to search for their nakama.

* * *

Lucy had returned to the meadow from yesterday, trying to summon her magic while Capricorn and Loke watched.

_You are weak._

_You are delicate._

_You do not belong on the battlefield._

Those words again. Lucy fell exhausted.

"I don't understand." Lucy banged the ground in frustration. "Why can't I summon my magic?" She growled.

"Your magic hasn't decreased in the slightest." Capricorn regarded.

"Then why?" Lucy cried.

"It seems as though something is limiting the magic you can summon." The goat spirit told her.

"Think of your magic like a garden hose watering a lawn." Loke explained. "Normally, when you summon your magic, it comes out at a flow that you can control. But now, something is bending the hose so your magic isn't coming out and the backstop is hurting you physically, making you tired.

"How do I remove the backstop?" Lucy asked.

But Loke had no answer for his master.

* * *

Natsu decided to take the search outside Magnolia. With Happy taking him into the air, Natsu searched for his girlfriend from the sky.

Then he saw her. She was lying fainted on the ground with Loke and Capricorn.

"Happy." Natsu shouted at Happy.

"Ayesir." Happy agreed.

With that, Happy flew downward to where Lucy was.

"Lucy." Natsu shouted.

Loke and Capricorn looked to the sky to see Natsu and Happy rapidly descended to the meadow.

"Natsu." Loke greeted without a smile.

"Ahh, Natsu." Capricorn regarded the Dragon Slayer with respect.

Natsu didn't return their greeting. "What happened to Lucy?"

Loke sighed. "Well, ever since the mission the other day, Lucy hasn't been able to summon her magic properly. There's something blocking it."

"Like magic?" Happy asked, looking sadly at his friend.

"Actually, I'm beginning to think that the problem isn't physical or magical." Capricorn said with finality. "It's psychological."

"Psycho-what?" Natsu asked, confused by the big word.

"Lucy-sama mentioned that every time she summoned magic, she could hear words telling that she is weak. It's sapping her conviction and making her magic power weak." The goat spirit told his master's boyfriend.

"But she isn't weak." Natsu growled. "She's one of the strongest people I know."

Loke looked at Natsu, regarding him quite intently. Then the lion spirit snapped his fingers. "I know what to do."

The dragon slayer looked at Loke, full of hope. "How do I help Lucy?"

"If the problem is that she's hearing that she's weak, then Lucy needs to hear how strong she is." Loke told everyone.

"That would work, Leo." Capricorn nodded. "But Lucy-sama needs to believe it as well."

"I'll make her believe it." Natsu growled. He turned to his feline friend. "Happy, tell the others I've found Lucy and I'll bring her back to the guild later."

"Ayesir." Happy responded and flew away to follow his orders.

* * *

Lucy woke up to feel that she was in a warm embrace. No, make that a fiery embrace. And there was only one person who could make her feel like she was on fire.

"Natsu?" Lucy mumbled sleepily.

"Hey, Luce." Natsu couldn't help but chuckle. For all of the worrying that he did when Lucy went out without telling him, she could still make him laugh.

"I guess you're mad at me for not telling you where I've been?" She mumbled softly.

"Nah, not mad. Just worried." Natsu told her. "I'm suppose to be there for you when you're hurting."

Lucy felt the tears stinging her eyes. She made Natsu worry. That last thing she wanted was to cause Natsu to worry. "I'm sorry."

The pink haired man shook his head. "Wanna talk about it?" He asked.

And Lucy told him everything concerning her fight with Jadeite, her sleepless nights, the voice she keeps hearing whenever she summons magic, everything. Natsu didn't say a word. He just listened and held her.

When she was done, Lucy buried her face into Natsu's chest and cried, letting out all of her frustration, anger and sadness. Natsu rubbed her back comfortingly until she was done.

"Lucy Heartfilia, look at me." Natsu commanded.

Lucy, entranced by his commanding voice, did as she asked.

"You are not weak." He told her. "You are strong."

"Natsu?" Lucy whispered.

"Repeat after me." He commanded. "You are strong."

"I am strong." She hesitated.

"No, without the hesitation." The dragon slayer prodded.

"I am strong." She repeated more confidently.

"No, yell it out." Natsu pounded the ground.

"I am strong." The blonde yelled

"You are tough." He told Lucy.

"I am tough." She shouted at the top of her voice.

"You can stand up to the best of mages." Natsu gave her a new prompt.

"I can stand up to the best of mages." Lucy screamed.

"I am the best mage ever." Natsu cheered.

"Natsu..." Lucy mumbled.

"Say it, Lucy." The Dragon Slayer goaded.

Lucy wanted to protest but Natsu wouldn't take no for an answer. "I am the best mage ever." Lucy mumbled.

"Louder."

"I am the best mage ever." The blonde said with more conviction.

"Louder."

Lucy stood up suddenly, surprising the Spirits and Natsu. "I am the best freakin' mage EVER." She shouted to the heavens.

Loke, Capricorn and Natsu shared satisfied smiles when Lucy did that.

The most amazing thing happened. Lucy was bathed in warm golden light. All of her magic came out in one burst, freeing her from the confines of Jadeite's words. Now, she couldn't even hear the voice. Lucy pumped her fists into the air.

"The backstop. It's gone." Capricorn noted.

"Looks like things are back to normal." Loke smiled. "We'll take our leave, princess."

Lucy glowered. "Stop calling me princess."

The bespectacled Spirit laughed heartily. "That's the Lucy I know." With that, the Spirits disappeared into the ether.

Natsu and Lucy were left in the meadow by themselves. Lucy smiled at her boyfriend.

"Thank you, Natsu." She told him.

"And I'll be here to remind you every time you need it." The Dragon Slayer gave his girlfriend a thumbs up.

Natsu kissed Lucy's forehead. "Come on. Let's go the guild. They're waiting for us."

After that day, Lucy's conviction never wavered. Natsu would always remind her that she was strong, she was tough, she could stand on the front lines and she was the best mage ever.

* * *

_Word Count: 5000_

**I wasn't really happy with the ending. It didn't end the way I wanted. But this is the best I could do. Sorry. I'll try harder next chapter.**

**So... Love it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. Don't worry. I'm a big boy. I can take the punishment.**

**Here's a preview of the next chapter.**

_In the stories, they were magnificent beasts who jealously guarded treasures, waiting for some foolish men to try and steal it from them. Well, for Natsu who was one of them, Lucy was his treasure and heaven help the fool who tried to take her away from him._

**Any guesses for the D word here? I think this is pretty easy.**

**Anyways, I'm going to stop right here.**

**Til next time,**

**A. Angel**


	4. D is for Dragon

**And so we entered chapter four of Natsu and Lucy. And there was much rejoicing. (Unenthusiastic yay) However, there will be no eating of minstrels.  
**

**Allow me to answer my reviews.  
**

**KaUiA, niners, PhoenixedDragon, and luvr4fantanim, I am glad you liked my take on Lucy. I didn't want her to just be "Oh I'm weak. I can't compare." Sure she has these doubts but she doesn't dwell on them. That's why I used Jadeite and the demotivational magic as a lynchpin in the plot. There are a lot of those "Lucy's weak so let's give her a new magic" fics, not that I am saying that all of them are bad. Some are good. Some aren't. Her magic is strong but it's all dependent on whether or not her heart is in the fight.  
**

**As for those who were iffy about the ending, I said before that although I was okay with the ending, I wasn't very happy. The ending had many forms. At first, I wanted Natsu to remind her of all of her victories. But that felt off. There were similar endings with this but none I could get behind. So I went with the least troublesome ending.  
**

**Anyways, new chapter. I am happy with this chapter from start to finish. Thanks to all who read and review, especially the ones who are reading the entire Fairy Tail project.  
**

**And three points to KaUia, PhoenixedDragon, tina without the c, lazy to put name, CelestialBlaze, and LovelyAnimeLover for guessing the word. It was kinda obvious. :-P  
**

**Now, our feature presentation**

* * *

**D is for Dragon**

_Don't you know that dragons are jealous creatures? Whenever we find a treasure, we take it and protect it from those want to steal it from us. ~ Gajeel Redfox, Chapter 3 of Gajeel and Levy: From A to Z_

Have you ever read a story with dragons? Dragons are always the last obstacle in a knight's quest. They are always guarding a treasure. Why is that? It's because dragons are the personification of greed. When they see something they want, they take it and make it theirs. They don't share and they don't make nice with those who would want to take it from them. These magnificent creatures become truly vicious when someone wants to steal their treasure.

It is either a brave or a foolish man that wishes to steal a dragon's treasure and there is a fine line between the two. They are enticed by rumors of the treasure guarded by a dragon. They seek it out. When they arrive at the treasure and see it protected, the men try to liberate it from the creature only to be destroyed. Such is the fate of a man who wishes to steal from a dragon.

Therefore, it is good advice not to take a dragon's treasure if you wish to live.

It is unusual to see Natsu get up in the middle of the night. Well, allow me to clarify. When Natsu is on a mission, his five senses are on high alert. During missions, he is a light sleeper. There is no telling when an enemy might come to attack. But in the comfort of his own home or the guild that he loves, Natsu is more relaxed and becomes a heavy sleeper. So, if Natsu is up in the middle of the night in his home, something must be on his mind.

And indeed there was. Nothing bad, though. He was just thinking. What was he thinking about? Well, just how his life has changed and how much his life will change in the coming months.

Natsu is a really friendly guy. Despite all of his aggressiveness to prove his superiority over everyone else, the pink-haired man easily made friends with almost everyone. Each bond is special to him. Of course, some bonds are more special than others.

There are the people outside of the guild, like the men of Blue Pegasus and Jellal and his gang. These people were friends but the sort of distant friends who he hears about once in a while.

Next comes the people in his guild. To Natsu, Fairy Tail is more than just a place where his friends hang out to do missions and enjoy each other's company. The guild is family. Like in every family, there are people who are related to you but you don't talk to that often. For Natsu, this is people like Laki, Alzack, Bisca, Macao, Wakaba and others.

Then there are people like the Strauss Siblings, Laxus and the Raijinshuu, Cana and Gildarts. Natsu regularly hangs out with them whenever he's not out on a mission. They are the people who are closer to him than some of the others in the guild because they have grown up around each other and have fought together on various occasions.

There is a more inner circle consisting of his fellow Dragon Slayers, Gajeel and Wendy. They are like his older brother and younger sister because they share the bond of being trained in the art of the Dragon Slayer. These two also experienced the lost of a parent. By extension, the mates that they have chosen for themselves, Levy and Romeo respectively, are within that same circle.

His team, Erza and Gray, are closer to him than the others. They are his constant companions, the people who has his back in battle. Their friendships were forged from childhood as rivals and guildmates to being on the same team. They trust in each other's power and will do anything to make sure that the others live. And since Juvia quite often went on missions with him and is romantically entangled with Gray, Natsu considers the water mage a part of his team as well.

In his innermost circle are those bonds that are the closest thing Natsu has to immediate family.

Happy, from the moment that he found his egg so many years ago, is like a brother, friend, and teammate all rolled into one. Wherever Natsu went, Happy was never far behind. They shared good times and bad and are inseparable. At times, there aren't even words to describe how much the blue Exceed means to him.

Then there is Master Makarov. To the Fire Dragon Slayer, the old man is a father figure, teacher, master and leader. The guild master gave him a home, friends and a purpose for his magic. He told the youth to use his magic to protect his nakama. And Natsu did. He was eternally grateful for the kindness that Makarov showed him. So if the old man requires something of him, Natsu would do his best to do it to repay that kindness.

Finally, there is Igneel, fire dragon. He taught Natsu of magic and the world. The days that he spent with the dragon were some of the best days in his life. It truly hurt Natsu that the dragon had left him but he never stopped looking for him. In his youth, the dragon slayer chased every dragon rumor, hoping against hope that he would be reunited with Igneel. Nowadays, Natsu is more worldly and though he doesn't search the world looking for the one who raised him as much as he used to, he truly believes that he will one day be reunited with the dragon.

Natsu treasures each bond jealously. Anyone who tried to take that bond away from him is classified as an enemy. Enemies would feel the full wrath of the Fire Dragon Slayer. They will not take away his bonds away from him.

But of course, even a dragon has one favorite treasure, the one that it values over anything else. While trying to take any treasure from a dragon is a risky endeavor, taking the favorite is tantamount to inviting ruin upon you. For Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail's Fire Dragon Slayer, his favorite treasure, the one he values over everyone and everything, is the woman who is currently sleeping in his arms.

Lucy Heartfilia

Now Natsu wasn't one to believe in fate. He didn't like the idea of not being able to decide his own future. However, even he couldn't call his meeting Lucy a coincidence. That word implies that their friendship and eventual relationship was a cosmic accident. Whatever word could be used in this situation, Natsu's meeting Lucy was exactly that and also the best thing that ever happened in his life. From the moment that they met in Hargeon Port, he never knew that this woman, this beautiful, wonderful woman would be the one that he would treasure above all.

At the outset of their meeting, the Stellar Spirit mage was like anyone who was a Fairy Tail mage to him, a weird but capable mage. But as they took missions together, laughed together, cried together and enjoyed each other's company, Natsu and Lucy became less of just guildmates and nakama and more like best friends. It would take the events with Phantom Lord to settle that in his mind.

From then on, Natsu would always visit her in her apartment to invite her to go on missions with him or to have fun or even just to talk. Though at first Lucy would frequently yell at him for not taking her privacy seriously, the pink haired Dragon Slayer knew that she was glad that he cared enough to visit her.

The more time Natsu spent with Lucy, the more his feelings for her grew. He didn't realize it as it was happening because he always tried to justify what he was feeling. Going on missions with Lucy was fun but it was also a way to make sure that she was safe. Invading Lucy's apartment was not only to enjoy her company but it was also to make sure that she wasn't lonely. Many of their guildmates had told Natsu that he was in love with the resident Stellar Spirit mage. He would always laugh it off and say "Of course I love her. I love all my friends." They would always sigh and shake their heads in exasperation. The Dragon Slayer didn't understand why at that time.

It would take the events of Tenrou Island to put his relationship with Lucy in perspective. (In retrospect, Tenrou Island was the place where many other relationships started to change: Gray started to realize how deep Juvia's feelings for him were, Gajeel was scared of losing the one person who had completely forgiven him of his sins, and even Elfman and Evergreen started bonding over their haphazard partnership.)

Natsu's defining moment was when Kain Hikaru had captured Lucy. Natsu was trapped under rubble and debris. He couldn't free himself. So Natsu told Lucy to save herself. But she refused even as she was brutally beaten. She told him, with a smile, that she would rather be together with everyone than to run away by herself.

For the first time in his life, Natsu Dragneel was terrified. This wasn't the kind of terror that Erza caused whenever he and Gray fought. It wasn't the terror that he faced when Gildarts released his full strength. This was a different kind of terror. To see Lucy suffer before his eyes while he could do nothing angered him immensely and also made him afraid. It angered him to see Kain hurt Lucy right in front of her and it angered him that he could nothing to stop it. But it also made him afraid because if Lucy were to die, Natsu knew that it could break his spirit beyond repair.

Luckily for the both of them, Natsu was able to save Lucy by using Kain's own doll against him.

But this incident gave him a new perspective on Lucy and her mortality. Natsu knew that Lucy was strong, even though sometimes she would doubt it herself. But the life of a mage is still dangerous. Anything could happen. That's what scared Natsu the most. He was terrified of losing Lucy, more so than any other bond. So he made sure that he was close to Lucy whenever they went on missions. Natsu would also insist that she didn't take a mission without him. More often than not, she'd agree. However, it was a rare day that Lucy took a mission with other teams and even rarer when she took a mission by herself. During those times, Natsu wouldn't take a mission. Instead, she would wait and pray for her safe return.

Beneath this worry, there was this niggling feeling that he felt every time they went on missions together. He started to notice Lucy, I mean _really_ notice her. Whenever she wore a new outfit, Natsu would always compliment her. And, although it failed miserably against their opponents, the Fire Dragon Slayer could totally see and understand her sex appeal. But it just wasn't her physical appearance that drew him. Natsu also saw how kind she was to everyone, how willing she was to make everyone happy, how determined she was to prove herself to others, and how confident she was in herself.

Natsu understood what he was feeling now. Somewhere along the way, Natsu Dragneel had fallen for Lucy Heartfilia. However, there was a problem. Natsu was Lucy's friend. And friends don't fall for their friends. He was content to be in Lucy's presence. That was all he needed. Asking for more would be greedy.

But dragons are greedy creatures by nature. Natsu was no different. He wanted to possess her completely. An incident would occur to change their relationship forever.

Natsu was on his way to Lucy's apartment by himself. Happy wasn't feeling well because he ate too much fish so at the time, the blue Exceed wasn't good company. He wanted to take out a mission but Erza had left on a mission by request of the Master and Gray was currently on a date with Juvia. Natsu chose to hang out with Lucy today. No missions, no fighting, no responsibilities. As he entered in his usual way, through the window, Natsu was treated to a sight that he'd never forget.

Lucy was in a towel, having just come out of the shower. She was applying lotion on her skin when he called out to her. Lucy being Lucy, of course, shrieked at him, yelling something about privacy and pervert when it happened.

Lucy's towel fell to her feet.

There was a long pause between the two of them. In her absolute shock, Lucy didn't grab her towel. Natsu couldn't help but stare at the now exposed skin before him. His eyes were roving across her body, his nose took in her clean scent now complimented by the peach and vanilla scent in her lotion, and his ears could hear her breathing intensify. As if moved by an invisible force, Natsu felt his body drawn to this beautiful woman.

Natsu made love to Lucy that day. On that day, their friendship was no more. But in its place, they became lovers.

Since their relationship was based on a deep friendship, the transition from being best friends to boyfriend/girlfriend was very simple. Not much changed in how they interacted. It was a godsend to both of them.

That isn't to say that their relationship was perfect. No relationship is. Lucy would sometimes feel like a replacement for Lisanna. Natsu would get jealous of Loke whenever he flirted with Lucy. Lucy would get angry when he would get overly destructive on their missions. Natsu would get angry whenever she took a mission without telling him.

There was an incident where Natsu and Lucy nearly broke up. She was so angry at Natsu that the blonde didn't talk to him for a month. That was the worst month of his life. But they reconciled and have been going strong ever since.

Now, four years later and Natsu and Lucy were living together and truly happy.

Natsu took the time to admire the woman in his arms. She truly was a beautiful sight. Her blonde hair was braided. Her face was peaceful and content. Her neck was covered with his kiss marks. Her breasts were covered in a light sheet. (It was probably his imagination but her breasts seemed to be getting larger and more sensitive.) There was a slight swell in her stomach... Now that was new.

Natsu spent some time caressing Lucy's stomach with his fingers, tracing out the swell. Up and down, left and right, around and around. The pink-haired man took take great pride in stroking her stomach. Lucy shifted unconsciously.

Natsu took this opportunity to gently pull down the sheet that covered her body down to her waist. With the cover down, Natsu took to looking at the swell in her stomach. This time, he caressed the naked skin of his beloved. On his face was a look of pride and contentment as he did this.

And the cause of her swell... well, Natsu was truly proud of the swell. That is because his beloved, Lucy Heartfilia, was pregnant... pregnant with his child... with their child.

When Natsu learned of the news, at first, he was shocked. It's not that he didn't have an understanding of how babies were born. (He could thank Erza's many harsh lessons in his youth for that.) It was because they were trying for a child for a while. Now it was finally happening.

Natsu and Lucy weren't alone in their happiness. Juvia was seven months pregnant with her husband Gray's child. Gajeel had learned that his wife Levy was three weeks along in her pregnancy. There were talks around the guild that Elfman and Evergreen were thinking about getting married for real. (That part confused him for a bit until someone explained that they had once told Mirajane that they were getting married as a ruse to defeat her.) And there were whispers that Erza Scarlet was carrying on a clandestine relationship with Jellal Fernandes and was considering having his child.

Natsu was truly content with his lot in life. His beloved girlfriend... No, that's wrong... his beloved fiancé as of three hours ago was carrying his child. They were going to be married sometime after the child is born.

A hazy memory of Igneel came to him just now. It was just after Natsu learned to consume flames for the first time. The dragon had a look on him that Natsu couldn't describe. But now, he understood. It was pride.

And that's the look on his face right now, pride. As he kept stroking the swell of Lucy's stomach, Natsu couldn't help but feel pride that it was his child that the blonde was carrying.

Beneath him, Lucy began to stir from her sleep. She blinked her brown eyes sleepily and adjusted to the faint light. The Stellar Spirit mage felt her stomach being caressed. It was a contradictory touch, strong but gentle.

"Natsu." Lucy whispered sleepily.

"Sorry, Luce. Did I wake you?" Natsu asked.

"It's alright." She told him. "Why are you up?"

"Just thinking." He responded.

Lucy's hands moved to her slightly protruding stomach. "It's only three months, Natsu." She reminded him. "It's not time for our child to be born."

Natsu pouted but he doubted she could see it. "I know. But I just can't wait."

"You're not the one carrying the child." She chuckled somewhat ruefully. "I'm the one who's going through all the changes."

"Yeah. I never knew you liked pickles, cherries and mayonnaise on toast." Natsu laughed.

Lucy put a hand to her mouth, about to throw up. "It's the damn food cravings. I would never eat something like that if I wasn't pregnant."

"And then you snapped at me because people took our usual table at the guild." Natsu said glumly.

"I didn't mean to." Lucy apologized. "It's the hormones."

Natsu laughed. "It's fine. I still love you."

Lucy was silent for a moment. "Would you still love me when I get fat?" She whispered

"Sure." Natsu told her. "Luce will still be Luce."

The pink haired man was now very conscious of what he said concerning Lucy's image during her pregnancy. Happy had once said that when Lucy got further along in her pregnancy, she'd be as big as a watermelon. Needless to say, that statement caused Lucy to open up the waterworks. Happy's comment got a glare from Natsu. The blue Exceed spent the rest of the day apologizing to Lucy.

Lucy snickered. "Thanks for that."

"I just can't wait for our child to be born." Natsu reminded his fiancé.

"Me either." Lucy admitted.

"Is it going to be a boy or a girl?" He asked.

"I don't know. I would have to go for an ultrasound later on in the pregnancy."

Natsu was quiet for a space, deep in thought. He sighed loudly. "Lucy Heartfilia." He spoke softly. "I want to thank you."

Lucy was confused. "Thank me? For what?"

"Many things." Natsu told her. "For joining Fairy Tail, for joining my team, for being my friend, for falling in love with me, for letting me love you, for carrying our child..."

"No, Natsu." Lucy told him. "I have to thank you for taking me to Fairy Tail. If you hadn't, none of this would have happened."

Natsu smiled softly at the woman beneath him. "You know, now that you're mine, I'm never letting you go." He told her, the gravity of his words hitting Lucy. "I treasure all of the bonds that I have with Fairy Tail but you are my favorite and most important bond. And this" Natsu's hands gently caressed her stomach "is the proof of that."

"I don't plan on going anywhere else." Lucy answered him.

Natsu could feel proud tears welling in his eyes. He kissed Lucy on her forehead. "Let's go back to sleep."

Lucy needed no other prompting. As soon as she closed her eyes, the blonde drifted off to sleep immediately. Natsu cradled her in his arms, making sure that one hand was on her stomach, as if to protect their child. He soon joined her in the comforting arms of sleep. As he did, one last thought crossed his mind.

Yes, Natsu Dragneel is a dragon. He has a treasure and that treasure is the people of Fairy Tail. Yes, he has a favorite, Lucy Heartfilia. He jealously protects his treasure, especially his favorite, with all of his strength. God help the fool who dares to take his treasure away from him.

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_Word Count: 3488_

**And that's chapter four. I just want to remind you, boys and girls, that these one-shots aren't in chronological order. So I jumped four years into the future. I'll probably be heading back into the past for the next one.**

**So love it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_Her looks, her voice, the feel of her skin, the scent of her body, the taste of her lips, Natsu could say that he loved everything about Lucy's being. It intoxicated him, captivated him and made him glad he was one with enhanced senses._

**Any guesses? This might be a tough one.**

**Before I go, two things. One, I am thinking about putting in a lemon in this fic, providing, in detail, what happened that fateful day they became a couple. Now I can write it without the lemon or with it. It's your choice so leave that in the review as well.**

**Finally, after I finish the E chapter in Gray and Juvia which comes after the D chapter in Gajeel and Levy, I'm going to be taking a break for a week to spend some time with my family. There is a reason for this. Once I finish E for Gruvia, I'll have finished 13 chapters, one sixth of the way complete. So I'm not going to update the Fairy Tail Project during that week. I'll probably put something up that isn't romance. So look for that.**

**In any case, till next time.**

**A. Angel**


	5. E is for Essence

**Guess who's back? Back again? That guy's back. Tell a friend.  
**

**Okay, enough of that.  
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**Well, I'm back from my week off. Had awesome times with the family and especially my daughter. But here we are at the fifth chapter. Where do I begin?  
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**I had said that I was going to work on a one-shot during the week and, for a while, I did. It was suppose to be a buddy-cop fic in the same vein as Lethal Weapon and Die Hard with a bit of Naked Gun tossed in there. It starred Happy and Lily. For a while, I was in a good zone, but after like eight pages, it started getting really stupid, really fast. I got to the part where Carla was seducing Happy where I was like, "Okay, I can't write anymore." So I stopped it. I might continue it when I can get it to stop being stupid in my head.  
**

**As for the reviews, let's see.  
**

**Ninersfan, I totally agree with you. A lot of authors make Natsu out to be this manchild. There's a difference between being dense and being completely naive on how the world works. As for the Lisanna thing, I agree with you there as well. That's my reasoning behind supporting NaLu instead of NaLi. However, I would think that Lucy, should she get in a relationship with Natsu, would have Lisanna's prior relationship with Natsu (not romantically but friendship-wise) hanging over her. When I was in prior relationships, I always wondered how I compared with my girlfriend's prior boyfriends. Perhaps Lucy would feel the same way, feeling the need to compare herself to Lisanna. I'm sure that Natsu would set her straight though.  
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**PhoenixedDragon, I am glad you liked the dragon references. I got it from Beowulf and other stories about Dragons. As for Natsu and Lucy having a child early, remember that Alzack and Bisca had a child when they were 19. Also, there's an interesting statistic that people who have dangerous jobs tend to have children earlier in life. So I don't see it as odd. To each their own, right?  
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**luvr5fantain and LovelyAnimeLover, I'm glad you liked the quote. I tried so hard to come up with one when I was like, screw it, I'm using Gajeel.  
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**And to the rest of you, thanks for the reviews. Totally made me blush.  
**

**And now for this chapter. I got a little frustrated with this chapter. Partly because I was coming off of the break and partly because I didn't realize how difficult it was to write about. You'll see what I mean when you read.  
**

**Also, I probably screwed up the prompt in the last chapter so I'm giving every reviewer two points. Also, I probably cheated with this word. I hope you like this one.**

* * *

**E is for Essence**

_Being in love is easy to feel but hard to explain._

It was a normal day in Fairy Tail, well normal is a relative term when it comes to this guild. But today is going to be an interesting day because of one question.

"Natsu-nii, how do you know when you are in love?"

Ahh, the age-old question. Philosophers, religions and scientists have all tried to answer that question. How do you know when you are in love? You're likely to get different answers depending on who you ask. Philosophers would say that a person is attracted to an essence, a soul, within the object of affection. Religions would relate love to some sort of deity, whether it be the gift of an omnipotent being or some guy with a bow and arrow who just messes around with people. Scientists would say that it a chemical reaction in the brain that triggers the pleasure source in the brain or something like that.

It's a very difficult question which has many answers. And now Natsu Dragneel is asked to answer this very question, Natsu Dragneel who is not a religious figure, certainly not a philosopher and definitely not a scientist.

Natsu stopped drinking his fire juice when he heard the question. He looked at the asker of the question.

Romeo was usually a confident young mage, just like Natsu was at his age. However, right now he was looking down at the floor, hands behind his back and stiff as a board. This question must be really important for Romeo to have a posture like that.

"Why do you ask?" Natsu wondered. "And why not ask your dad?"

Romeo grimaced and pointed to Macao. He was talking with Wakaba. The purple fire mage had his hands in front of his chest and made a squeezing motion. The two old men laughed when he did so.

Natsu, even without his enhanced senses, knew exactly what they were talking about. He was a bit dense, not naive. "I see your point." He mumbled. "But why me?"

"Because you're in love with Lucy-nee, right?" The young mage said.

Natsu chuckled. "Yeah, I am. But you never answered my question. Why are you asking?"

Romeo blushed a bit. "Can you just tell me and then I'll answer your question?"

Natsu shrugged. "Alright."

The pink-haired mage took a deep breath. "When I first met Lucy, I thought she was a little weird. But the more time I spent around her, the more I liked her."

"So the more you spend time with a girl, the more you like her?" Romeo asked.

"It's a little more than that, Romeo." Natsu told the teen. "It's like this..." The Dragon Slayer struggled to find the right word... "I don't know... pull." He floundered.

"Pull?" Romeo was confused.

"Yeah. Let me explain." Natsu closed his eyes. "When we were friends, I always visited her at her apartment. Sometimes, my feet would take me there before I even realized what I was doing."

Romeo giggled. "Really?"

"Uh huh." Natsu laughed. "I'd be heading to my house and then I'd find myself in front of Lucy's."

"Okay. But when did you realize when you were in love with Lucy-nee?" He asked.

What the two guys didn't know was that someone was listening in to their conversation.

Now Lucy wasn't a nosy person by nature. However even she couldn't resist listening when Romeo asked Natsu about love. She was tempted to go and explain it to the teenager when she decided against it. Let's see what Natsu has to say first.

Natsu sighed. "Remember when I told you about a pull?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when I started feeling something for Lucy, I felt this pull from her." Natsu told Romeo. "I felt like I _had_ to be with her, like I needed her."

Romeo raised an eyebrow. "Needed her?"

"Yeah, almost like I need fire like... errrgh" Natsu struggled to explain and so he banged his head against the table where he was sitting.

"Natsu-nii?" Romeo got worried after seeing his idol bang his head against the table. "Are you alright?"

"It's just so hard explaining it." Natsu moaned into the table. "I never thought that it would be hard to explain. It was just something I knew."

"Something you knew?" Romeo asked.

"Yeah, you just know that you're in love and no one else can tell you differently." Natsu recovered, wiping the splinters from his face. "I just know that I love Lucy and that's that."

Lucy wanted to giggle at poor Natsu trying to explain why he knew he was in love. She knew that she loved him too. But Natsu is right. It is hard to explain. It's just a feeling that can't be denied no matter what.

"Let's try something else." Natsu groaned. But he quickly recovered. "When you are in love with someone, you start noticing stuff about that person."

"Like how big Lucy-nee's chest is?" Romeo laughed. "Because my dad said that Lucy's chest is one of the biggest he's seen in a long time."

Lucy bristled at the comment. She felt like knocking Romeo over the head for that comment and then his father for good measure.

Natsu laughed with him. "Well, yeah her breasts are big but that's kinda not what I meant."

"What did you mean?" Romeo asked, getting serious.

"Well, I didn't notice until I started falling for her but whenever she's reading a book, I can always tell how she feels just by looking at her." Natsu told him.

"Really?" Romeo wondered

"Yeah. Like if there's suspense in the book, Lucy always drums her fingers against the table. If something sad happens, her bottom lip quivers ever so slightly. If she is happy with the book, she smiles."

"So you only notice stuff about Lucy-nee when she's reading?" Romeo asked.

"No." Natsu shot back. "I also noticed that when Lucy is anxious, she starts shifting her weight from side to side. When she's nervous, she puts her left arm behind her back and hold her right arm with it."

As he continued to rattle off the little things about his girlfriend, the woman in question couldn't believe it. "Natsu really noticed all of that?" She wondered to herself. "Was he always that observant?" Sure the blond knew that he was the type to just charge in instead of thinking and planning. But for him to notice things about her that she didn't even realize about herself...

"Wow. That's amazing, Natsu-nii." Romeo's eyes sparkled, unaware of the eavesdropper. "Tell me more about love."

Natsu rubbed his chin. "Let me think. Well, when you are with the person you love, you feel like you're on top of the world."

"How so?" Romeo asked.

"Well, whenever Lucy calls my name, it doesn't matter how tired I am, I always perk up." Natsu explained. "Whenever she hugs me, I feel like I've eaten my fill of fire. Whenever we kiss, I feel like I can take on the entire Balam Alliance by myself."

Lucy's eyes glistened at that comment. The Stellar Spirit mage never knew how much she affected Natsu.

"On the flip side, whenever Lucy is sad, I feel sad and try my best to cheer her up." The pink haired mage continued. "If she's angry at me, I apologize until my voice is hoarse. When she cries, I hold her until she's done." Natsu's eyes narrowed to the point where they were slits. "And if anyone hurts Lucy, I destroy them." He said in a raspy voice.

Romeo smiled. "I think I'm starting to get it." Then the black haired boy blushed again. "Natsu-nii, how does it feel to kiss someone?"

Natsu gave Romeo a toothy grin. "Kissing is the best." He answered. "Because it's not just pressing lips together."

Romeo looked confused. "It's not?"

"Nope." The Dragon Slayer told him. "It's deeper than that. Whenever I kiss Lucy, it's like I am surrounded by everything that makes her Lucy. I can see the look on her face when I kiss her, how each kiss makes her eyes close in pleasure. I can hear her squeak when I kiss her neck, how she whimpers when I kiss her jaw and how she moans when I touch her just so."

Lucy, overhearing this, blushed profusely, but made no effort to stop him from talking.

"I can feel her right next to me when we kiss, her body heat, her body shiver, the way that her body fits perfectly against mine. I can smell her unique scent, peaches and vanilla and a little something that... well I can't explain but it's just smells of Lucy, like her essence. It drives me insane." Natsu explained, taking a big whiff of the air.

Lucy, for good measure, sniffed herself discretely. Did she actually smell like that? While it is true that Dragon Slayers have enhanced senses, particularly the olfactory sense, it was kinda embarrassing to hear Natsu say that she smelled.

"But when we actually kiss," Natsu continued without any idea that someone is listening to their conversation. "It's like all of my magic bursting out at once."

"Really?" Romeo smiled.

"Yep. And one kiss isn't enough. It becomes two kisses, then three, and then... well, you get the idea." Natsu grinned.

Romeo nodded.

"I guess what it all boils down is..." The Dragon Slayer snapped his fingers, looking for the right word. "It's essence, that's the word. You love their essence." Natsu told Romeo. "It's everything. Her looks, her voice, the feel of her skin on yours, her scent and the taste of her lips on yours."

"Wow." The young fire mage whistled. "That's pretty cool, Natsu-nii. I think I get it now."

"Awesome." The Dragon Slayer grinned. "Now you have to answer my question. Why are you asking?"

Romeo's face blanched. "Well... I... that is... umm..."

"Come on, man. Speak up." He urged.

"I was trying to figure out if I am in love or not." Romeo blurted.

"Oh, that's cool." Natsu shrugged, not particularly excited about someone else's love life _*coughMirajanecough*_. "So are you?"

Romeo scratched his cheek with his finger. "I think so." He mumbled.

"No, no, no. You don't think you are in love or not. You know." Natsu told him vehemently.

Romeo's eyes widened. "What?"

The pink-haired mage set a fiery gaze upon him. "I told you before. You can't think about it. It's just something you know."

Romeo was puzzled. "What does that mean?" He asked.

Lucy decided to spare Romeo any more suffering. She walked over to the two guys and put her hands on the younger mage's shoulders.

"Lucy-nee?" Romeo looked up to see the Stellar Spirit mage over his shoulders.

"Oh, hey Luce." Natsu grinned a most childish grin. "Whatcha doing?"

Lucy ignored her boyfriend for the moment. "Romeo, do you really want to know how whether or not you are in love?" She asked.

Romeo's eyes widened just a bit. "Yeah."

"Well, when you are in love, you always want to spend time with that person." Lucy explained. "You wonder what that person is doing when you are apart."

Natsu grinned as he and Romeo listened to her explain how she knows she's in love.

"When you are with that person, you feel complete." Lucy told Romeo.

"Complete?" Romeo asked.

"Well, you don't realize until you are in love but when you are, you feel like you found a missing piece and when you are apart, you feel like it's missing again." Lucy clarified.

"Wow. I never really thought about it like that." The young mage nodded his head.

"Every day, you want to be with that person." Lucy continued. "Every night, you wonder if they are thinking about you, even just a little bit."

Lucy took a deep breath and went on explaining. "People fall for a person's looks or what is said about them. But when you love someone, you don't just see a person for their physical attributes or their reputation. You look beyond that and see that person for who they really are.

"You mean their essence?" Romeo asked. "Because Natsu-nii was saying something about that."

Lucy smiled. "Yeah. I guess that would be the best word for it. Because you don't just fall in love with a person because of their looks. You love them for their personality as well. Take Natsu here.

The fire eater blinked rapidly.

"Natsu is a bit dense, a bit overly aggressive and destructive, and doesn't know the meaning of the word restraint." Lucy smirked.

"Hey." Natsu shouted indignantly.

Lucy giggled. "But Natsu is also kind, loyal, fiercely protective of his nakama and willing to do anything for me and his friends to make us happy."

Natsu closed his eyes and grinned, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

Romeo smiled. "Wow, Lucy-nee! I didn't know that your feelings for Natsu-nii were that deep."

The blond blushed.

The young mage continued. "So, what's it like to kiss, Lucy-nee?"

Lucy's blush became more pronounced. "Well, when we kiss, I feel this fluttering in my chest."

"Fluttering?" Romeo questioned.

"Yeah, and my heart was beating crazy fast." She continued. "I feel lightheaded and my brain shuts down in order to just feel the kiss. Then when the kisses end, I feel like my body is made of jelly. My legs can't support my body and I turn into a pile of goo."

Romeo laughed. "Really? That sounds silly."

Lucy huffed crossly. "Well when you kiss someone, you'll understand what I mean."

The young mage looked away, trying to hide the blush on his face.

Lucy's countenance softened. "I guess what we are trying to say is that when you love someone, you love both the physical and emotional parts of that person. You love that person's entire being. Their essence, I suppose, would be the best word."

Romeo absorbed all of the information given to him. "I think I finally understand now." He smiled.

Lucy clapped her hands. "Excellent. Glad to help."

"Can I ask one last question, Lucy-nee?" Romeo asked.

"Sure." She smiled back.

The young mage looked the blond in the eyes. "What was your first kiss with Natsu-nii like?"

Lucy's smile faltered. How was she going to explain this to the thirteen year old?

"Oh, I'll tell you." Natsu grinned.

Lucy squeaked. "Natsu! It's not appropriate for him."

But he continued. "So I was going to her apartment and there she was, wrapped in nothing but a towel..."

The Dragon Slayer received justice by way of Lucy's fist to his head. Natsu sank to the ground, a knot grew on his forehead.

"I told you that it's inappropriate." Lucy growled.

Romeo was confused. "But why? I thought that first kisses were like special to girls or something. Are you embarrassed by it?"

Lucy struggled to come up with an answer. "It was." She recovered. "It's just... that is... I mean..."

It was in that moment that a certain drunk card mage shimmied up to Romeo. "It's because her first kiss happened when she and Natsu were bumping uglies." Cana grinned, sloshing some of the beer that she had in her mug onto the floor.

Lucy blushed profusely. "Don't say things like that." She shrieked. "Also, how do you even know, Cana-san?"

"Natsu told me." She shrugged her shoulders. "All guys brag when they get some."

Lucy's eyes widened in horror. "So everyone knows?" She whined.

"Probably." Cana smirked.

Lucy's eyes narrowed to her sprawled-out boyfriend. "Natsu." Lucy growled.

Natsu received more justice and another knot on his head.

Romeo was puzzled. Here they were talking about Natsu and Lucy's first kiss. How did it come to this? And also... "What's bumping uglies?" He asked Cana.

Cana was about to answer, despite Lucy waving her arms no when a voice echoed from the floor.

"It wasn't ugly." Natsu moaned through the radiating pain. "It was pretty and pink."

**ULTIMATE JUSTICE**

Player 1 K.O.. Thank you for playing.

Natsu was out for the count.

Lucy, trying to save face, started pushing Romeo out of the guild. "I hope we answered your question." She said in a hurried tone.

"Yes you did." Romeo answered as he was pushed. "Why are you pushing me? Also, is Natsu-nii going to be alright?"

"Not for a while. I have to explain that there are certain things in a relationship that you don't say in public." Lucy explained, her eyes narrowing as she spoke.

The Stellar Spirit mage successfully 'escorted' Romeo out of the guild.

"Go have some fun while I talk to Natsu." The blond said as she pounded her fist into her hand.

With that, the guild doors shut.

"Okay, that was weird." Romeo mumbled.

"Is something wrong, Romeo-kun?" A voice asked.

Romeo turned in the direction of the voice and promptly blushed. "Oh, hey Wendy."

Wendy was by herself, which was odd considering that her Exceed companion usually hovered over her like a hawk.

"What happened, Romeo-kun?" She asked. "Also, why is your face red?"

"Umm... I just got pushed out of the guild by Lucy-nee." He explained, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Wendy apologized.

Romeo brushed it off. "Nah, no worries. So where is Carla?"

"Oh, Carla is with Happy and Lily to visit the Exceeds." She explained.

"So you are by yourself?" He asked.

"I guess." She said softly.

Romeo's face became redder with every word that Wendy spoke. His breathing became heavier, like he ran around Magnolia seven times at full speed.

"Well, you want to go do something?" He asked, hoping that his voice was steady.

"Sure, I'd love that." She smiled.

The young fire mage felt like he had seen the sun for the first time. He grinned brightly. "Okay, come on."

With that, he took Wendy's hand. When he did, Natsu's words came ringing back to him. _"You don't think you are in love or not. You know."_

At that moment, he knew for certainty how he felt. He turned to look at his companion. Judging by the pink tinge on her face, she probably felt the same as well.

"Alright. Let's go." He yelled out and the two went out to have some fun.

* * *

_Word Count: 3045_

**Note that this takes place sometime after Gruvia's C is for Competitive.**

**When I came up with this chapter, at first I wanted it to be about Natsu and his enhanced senses. But then, I decided to make this about love and how do you know. I never knew how hard it was to explain until I tried it to my girlfriend's cousin. He was home schooled until now when he's going to high school. So he asked me and her about love and how do you know. We had a hard time explaining because we never thought about before. So my explanation is more like Natsu, all about the tactical, the senses and my girlfriend's explanation is more like Lucy's, about feelings and whatnot. Finally, we told him that when you are in love, you just know.**

**If you had a hard time reading this chapter, I apologize. I didn't realize how difficult it was until I wrote it.**

**Anyways, love it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear feedback.**

**Here's the prompted for the next chapter.**

_I know that we shouldn't be doing this. We're friends. But his touch, oh god, his touch, it burns me, like a conflagration. And god help me, I want to be consumed by his touch._

**The F word should be easy enough, right?**

**Well, till next time...**

**A. Angel**


	6. F is for Fire

**Okay. I'm back.  
**

**For those who read and reviewed my NaLu one shot, I Failed to Protect You, thanks. I'm glad to know that I wasn't alone in my anger.  
**

**Now onto the reviews for the last chapter. I'm glad that you guys liked it. I was kinda worried that it would be hard to read, what with trying to explain love.  
**

**niners, Phoenixed, Vampire and WaterPanda, I am glad you liked the Cana part. I think I use Cana whenever the situation becomes sexual. I used her in the first chapter of Gruvia and the second chapter of Gale. It's easier to think that she'd be all over the sexual innuendo. And I agree that Natsu needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut.  
**

**Well now we are at the letter F. F gave me some trouble. I was very lazy about writing it. This should have been done two days ago but I've been finding myself zapped of energy when I came home from work. So this took longer than it should. Nevertheless, it's here.  
**

**A note about this chapter. This does contain sexual content so if you don't like this kind of thing, that's fine. However it does mean that I'm raising the rating for this story. I'll break the story into three parts with the middle being the lemon (actually, it's more lime than lemon) so you can skip it. In any case, if you do read it, then I hope you enjoy my first lemon in over five years. It's from Lucy's point of view.  
**

**Finally, four points to shimmering starlight, PhoenixedDragon (which I got in a PM XD), jj, ajmonkeygirl, and Kauia.**

* * *

**F is for Fire**

_And we are caught in the fire, the point of no return. So we will walk through the fire and let it burn. LET IT BURN. ~ Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once More, with Feeling_

We are returning to Magnolia from Telos Astue after defeating the Cappers crime syndicate.

They were trying to take over the city. Telos Astue is one of the biggest producers of Lacrima in Fiore. If it fell in the hands of the Cappers, the price of Lacrima would skyrocket. So the mayor of the city sent out a request to defeat the Cappers before that happen. Luckily for us, it was an easy job. It was quite unusual for a bunch of non-mages to be interested in magic items but hey, I didn't question it.

However, during the mission, my mind was elsewhere. I was thinking back to the events of the last week and a half. The day me and Natsu...

I can't even think it in my head.

As we reach the outskirts of the city, Erza grabs me and pulls me aside.

"Let's go, Lucy." She tells me. I see the look on her face. She's being serious.

"Go where?" I sputter. I have no idea what caused the change in Erza. I'm scared.

"Did you think you would hide it from me forever?" She says. Oh, shit. She's pissed at me. But what did I do to her? I know I'm sweating.

"What are you..." I start to say.

Erza looks at me and at Natsu.

I turn white. Did she know? "How did you..."

"I am hurt that you did not deem me fit to tell me when it happened." She says crossly. Uh oh. She's pissed. "Now you are coming with me and you are going to tell me everything."

"Wait." Natsu comes to my defense. "Don't blame Lucy."

Erza drew her sword and pointed it in Natsu's face and he freezes. I see a grim look on his face. He grabs my hand. I squeeze his hand with my own.

"You are not to go to her apartment tonight, Natsu." Erza commands Natsu

"Aye." Natsu squeaks just like Happy.

Erza turns to Gray. "Have a good night, Gray." She says cordially. "Say hello to Juvia for me."

Wait. Why am I getting the third degree and he's getting a good night?

Then she does the unthinkable. She chucks me onto her shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Erza carries me away from the group while I'm swinging like a pendulum.

She opens the door to my apartment and throws me against the couch. Sometimes, I don't think she knows her own strength because when she did that, I cause the couch to topple over.

Erza quickly runs over and turns the couch right side up and picks me up.

"Sorry." Erza apologizes.

"S'alright." I mumble, still a bit dazed after the throw. I pick myself up.

Erza ex-quips into her normal white shirt and skirt. "Now we need to talk." She commands.

I decide to play dumb to see if we are talking about the same thing. "Talk about...?"

"What happened between you and Natsu." She says.

It's rather vague.

"Same old, same old." I laugh nervously, hoping she doesn't catch on to it.

"Do not play dumb, Lucy." She grates. "You aren't that stupid to pull it off."

I don't know whether or not to take that as a complement. "I really don't understand."

"Then let me refresh your memory." Erza says. "You and Natsu were off your game on this mission."

Now I'm curious. "How so?"

"First of all, Natsu wasn't being his usual noisy self." She checks off with her fingers. "You kept stealing looks at him. And Natsu nearly got himself hurt on this mission when he was distracted by you."

Okay, I think she suspects something.

"So what is up with you and Natsu, Lucy?" Now she looks concerned. "Are you two fighting?"

"No." I tell her.

"Are you speaking to each other?" She asked.

"We are." I answer her.

"So what is going on?" Erza asked. "I mean, it's not like the two of you were having sex."

I don't know why she went there, but I can feel myself blush.

Erza's eyes widened. Uh oh...

The Knight's expression didn't change. "I see."

Okay. I didn't that expect that. I thought that there would be squealing in joy or yelling. Yet, her face is still as stoic as before. But then again, this is Erza.

"So you and Natsu _had_ sex."

Again, I blush. How can she say it so causally? I can barely think it.

"So what happened?" She asked.

"Um... about a week ago Natsu came over my apartment." I tell Erza. "And we..." I can barely get the words out. "We did it." I say in a blurt.

"No." She commands. "You must tell me everything."

Really? She wants me to tell her everything. I refuse. But if I say it to her like that, she'll probably get angry at me. "That's something extremely private." I tell her. Yes, just like that. It's better like that. "This is something between me and Natsu."

"Unacceptable, Lucy." Erza tells me. "You and Natsu nearly got hurt on this mission. This is obviously distracting you. I need to know everything. Your feelings, what he said, how it happened... Everything."

"But Erza." I start to complain.

"If you do not, I'll talk with the Master to separate the two of you until you do, Lucy." She threatens.

She wouldn't do that, would she? Even before this... whatever, Natsu and I were a team... are a team.

"Would you really?" I ask hesitantly.

"Being involved with a teammate complicates things, Lucy." Erza tells me in a soft voice. "I need to know that you two are alright and this isn't going to interfere with you and Natsu's performance on missions. Otherwise, for the sake of the team, I'll separate you two."

I hadn't even thought about that. Natsu and I haven't talked about... well what happened.

"Promise not to tell?" I ask. I know it's a stupid request before I say it. Erza is not the type of person to go around blurting secrets. But I just need the extra reassurance.

"Yes. And if I break that promise, you may punch me." She says seriously... or maybe it was a joke. It's always hard to tell with her.

"Okay, it happened like this." I begin.

* * *

It was about a week and a half ago. I woke up at about 8 o'clock in the morning like I usually do. I feel all grimy from sleep so I decide to take a bath.

As I soaking in the tub, I think about what's on the agenda for this day.

I don't have anything planned. I'm not going on any mission. My rent is paid off long before the end of the month. And I actually have jewels to spend. Hey, maybe that's what I'll do. Shopping. It always makes me feel good to buy on some new clothes.

I finish my bath and wrap myself in a towel. Draining the tub of the water, I head back to my room to get dress. Before I do that, I gotta put on some lotion. Don't want the skin to dry out.

"Hey Lucy." I hear a voice behind me say and I jump. I also drop the lotion bottle.

I know that voice. I'd recognize it anywhere. I turn around and, lo and behold, it's Natsu, wearing that damn childish grin on his face. He's wearing his usual vest without a shirt and his white trousers.

Strange though. Happy's not with him.

Wait. What am I saying? He's at my apartment and I'm not even dressed.

"Dammit, Natsu." I yell at him. "I'm getting dressed. Pervert."

He continues to smile at me. "Come on. It's not like I haven't seen you in a towel before." He shrugs. "Remember Edolas?"

He plops on top of my bed facedown.

"Yeah well I'm trying to change." I retort. Not the wittiest of comebacks, I know, but I can't think right now.

"Come on. Hurry up." He whines into the mattress. "I wanna do something today."

Does this guy not know anything about personal space? About privacy? "Well, get out and let me change. We can do something when I'm dressed."

"Nah, Lucy's bed is too comfy to leave." He turns around and looks at me.

"Natsu" I yell. "Leave my room NOW."

I see his eyes widen. Perhaps I got through to him.

"Lucy." He says.

I had never heard him use that voice before. It's kinda hard to describe it. Mostly, it was like he was surprised. But there was a tinge of ... I don't know what.

And his eyes. His eyes are looking at me. I mean, really looking at me. I've never seen him stare at me like that in the year that I've know him. He's looking at me as if I was a lit torch and he was going to eat me.

He gets up off the bed. Now I'm worried.

"Natsu?" I whisper.

I don't think he hears me because he's walking towards me. Why is he doing that?

I feel a gentle breeze coming from the window and my body shivers. I wonder why.

I look down.

OH MY GOD. THE TOWEL FELL OFF. I'M NAKED.

And then it hits me. Natsu has just seen me naked. Oh god, this isn't happening. This is so not happening. This is a dream.

And yet, Natsu keeps walking towards me. Out of instinct, I move back. I know that he won't hurt me but I can't help but feel a little unnerved by the way he's looking at me.

Suddenly, I'm against my wall. He puts his hands on the wall, effectively trapping me in between them.

"Natsu." I whisper again.

"Lucy." He whispers back.

He leans in and does the unthinkable.

He kisses me... on the lips.

What the hell?

I am frozen in shock. This isn't real. This can't be real. I have to be asleep. There's no way that Natsu is here. There's no way that Natsu is kissing me.

Natsu doesn't have any technique, per se. His nose keeps hitting mine. His open mouth bites my lips. Not like I have any experience with kissing. This is my first kiss.

My first kiss. My first kiss and it belongs to Natsu.

I realize that this is real. Natsu is kissing me. Natsu Dragneel is kissing me. FREAKIN NATSU DRAGNEEL OF FAIRY TAIL IS KISSING ME AND I AM NAKED.

He puts his hands on my naked waist and I realize that my arms are around my neck.

What the hell? When did this happen? And why am I not saying anything? Why am I reacting like this?

Okay, okay. I admit that I have thought about Natsu in a romantic light. Sometimes, Mira would ask me how my relationship with him was going and I'd blush. I'd always deny it. But then, I'd think about what kind of boyfriend he would be. I'd think about the dates we'd go on. I'd think about the way his strong arm would drape around me, protecting me. I'd think about...

Oh god. What is he doing now?

He's kissing my neck.

"Lucy." He breathes on my neck. "You smell so amazing."

I shiver when I feel his breath. "Natsu." I moan.

He pushes me against the wall and continues attacking my neck. It feels so good.

I haven't had the time to think about it but why is Natsu acting like this? He's never given me any indication that he likes me like this.

His hands are crawling up my body. My eyes widen.

"Lucy." He moans into my neck. "I can't help myself. I've been thinking about this for a while." He says while his fingers dance ever so close to my breasts. "I've thought about doing this with you. I know I shouldn't but I just can't help myself."

Then he does the unthinkable. Natsu's calloused hands cup my breast.

It feels like he flipped a switch in my head. In my own head, I know I shouldn't be doing this. WE shouldn't be doing this. We are friends. Natsu and I are friends and friends don't do this. But his touch... Oh god his touch is burning me. I've never felt this way before. He's never touched me like this before. It feels so good. I feel so warm, so protected, so enveloped by Natsu.

My own hands are on autopilot, gliding from his neck to his chest. I don't believe it. I am caressing Natsu's chest. I shouldn't be doing this but I can't help myself either. It's like I'm surrounded by this thick fog. I'm not thinking straight.

"Lucy." He groans and slams his lips against mine. This time, though, I kiss back.

He presses my body between the wall and his own body. I shudder. Has he ever done this before?

"You have no idea what you do to me, Lucy." He plants kisses on my shoulder. "I've never done this before. I've never felt this way before."

"You think you're the only one." I shudder as his hands gently squeeze my breasts.

I am slowly getting used to the idea of this... whatever this is. I can't call it making love because I have no idea how he feels about me and I don't think I love him. I like him. I can accept the idea that I have deeper feelings for him. But love? I don't think that's it. So what is this? Is this like a one-night stand (even though it's morning)? I don't think I could take that.

Natsu stops his hands and looks me in the eye. This is the first time that he's done that since we started making out.

What is that look in his eyes? I've never seen such... hunger. That's was the look in his eyes from before. It was a hunger. He wants me.

"Lucy." He whispers huskily. I shiver unconsciously. "I know what you're thinking. This isn't a one-night stand."

How did he know? Am I that obvious?

"I like you way too much to hurt you like that." He tells me.

I feel somewhat reassured to know that this isn't a quick romp. But if it isn't that, then what is this?

"I don't know what this is." He admits. "I know that if we do this, we can't go back to the way things were before today. So say the word, Lucy. Say the word. Say you don't want this and we stop... no matter how far we are in this."

He's giving me an out. We don't have to do this. I feel so relieved.

And yet, we've already gone this far. My body is aching for... something. I don't know what.

But I have one question in my head. What brought this about? I feel like I have the right to know. So before I decide, I need to know.

"Can I ask one question?" I ask shyly.

Natsu nods.

"What brought this about? And why me?"

He looks away. "Well, lately, I've been having these dreams." He mutters.

"Dreams?"

"Yeah." He nods. "At first, they were innocent. It'd be like you and me hanging out in the park. We'd be laughing and playing and having a good time."

I can feel my cheeks heat up. Even though I know I am still naked and he's already seen all of me, I can't help but blush at this honest and innocent answer.

"Then, it'd be like you and me kissing." He continues.

I feel like I'm on fire, which is ironic because the guy who can eat fire is standing right next to me. I shudder at the analogy.

"But then, a couple of days ago, you and me started doing... well doing what we've been doing right now."

Okay! I can honestly say that I didn't expect that. I always thought that Natsu was a little slow when it came to women. I've never seen him even look at a woman in a romantic way. I never would have guessed that he had these kinds of feelings towards anyone, least of all me.

And I have to admit that I have thought of these things too. Nothing this explicit, of course. But I have wondered what kind of relationship we would have together.

"I like you, Lucy. That's why I'll respect your decision no matter what you choose." Natsu says. "If you say no, then we can go back to the way it was before today. Promise. If you say yes, then we can continue.

Now here is the moment of truth. If I say no, then I know that he would walk away. But can we really go back to the way things were? I would know his secret. That's the thing about knowledge. Once you know, you can't unknow. If I would say yes, then we could be messing with our friendship. Who knows if it'll survive this?

I turn to him and he's looking at me with his honest obsidian eyes. It's like they can see into my very soul.

"Natsu." I start. "If we do this, what happens afterwards?" I ask, afraid of the answer. "Do we just go back to the way things were? Is this just to scratch each other's itch?"

"No. This isn't just a sex thing, Lucy." He tells me, looking very adamant as he does. "I like you too much for that. We can go as far as you want or not at all."

Now what am I suppose to say to that? Does he understand what kind of question he's asking me?

I take a deep breath, preparing to make the biggest decision of my life. "Natsu, if we promise to stay friends afterwards and not let this get weird between us then..."

"Then?" He asks

I close my eyes. "Then yes."

I open my eyes to see him staring at me like he hadn't expected me to say yes. But how could I not? It's not like I haven't wondered.

"Are you sure?" He asks one more time.

"Yes." I say with more confidence.

He picks me up and places me gently on the bed. Natsu's hands are on my stomach, gently pushing me down on the bed. Oh god, I can feel his touch burning me again. How is he doing this? He said that he's never done this before and I believe him. He's just so honest.

I can feel his body radiating heat like a furnace. Am I imagining things? Is he always like this?

Natsu takes off his vest and his trousers, leaving him only in boxers.

He presses against my body with his as he kisses me. Is it me or did the room get hotter? I can feel his chest against my breasts. God, he's leaving me breathless.

"Lucy." I feel his hot breath against my skin. I shudder.

"Natsu." I ask in a pleading tone.

He removes his final layer of clothing and I gasp, seeing him in all his naked glory.

Okay, I've never really taken the time to admire his body. But wow. His body is amazing. He is leanly muscled with a definite six-pack. His legs, well, I've always thought that he'd have chicken legs considering the type of pants that he wears but they are strong and muscled as well.

And yet, my main focus is drawn to... I can't even say it in my head. It's standing proud, kinda like Natsu.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Lucy?" He asks, his face dead serious. "Absolutely sure?"

I am so lost in a fog of desire that I nod.

"Okay." He nods back. "Oh shit." Natsu shouts.

I ask him what's wrong.

"I don't have that thing that the guy's suppose to wear." He mumbles. Then he starts snapping his fingers in an effort to remember. "It starts with a C... cone, cope, cord."

I blush because I didn't even think about that. "A condom?" I ask.

"Yeah." He points at me. "A condom. That way, you won't get pregnant."

I blush even further. How am I going to explain this to him? Well, I might as well be honest.

"Natsu, you don't have to worry about it." I whisper but I know he heard it. "I'm not going to get pregnant. I'm on the pill."

He looks at me like he doesn't understand. I guess he's never heard the pill and what it does so I explain why.

For a female mage, missions can be doubly dangerous. Sure injury and death are present in any job. But for a woman, another peril is present... Rape. There have been reports that female mages who are captured by the enemy they were pursuing and violated. It nearly happened to me twice but I was saved by Natsu and Loke. Therefore, many female mages are urged to take some form of birth control when they are active, even if they already have a partner. After the second time, I decided to get on the pill, just in case.

A part of me is glad that Natsu is going to me my first time. At least I know that he cares for me as a friend at least, maybe even something more.

Natsu caresses my cheek. I never knew how gentle he could be until today. "Lucy, I will never let anybody hurt you like that." He tells me and I believe him.

"Natsu." I whisper. I can feel my eyes stinging with tears.

He leans in and kisses me. "I promise."

I am so distracted by his kiss that I barely register that he is positioned against me, preparing to do this.

In one sure motion, Natsu takes me.

I feel very uncomfortable at first. However, I don't feel the sting that I heard happens whenever a man and a woman join. Perhaps I have built up a tolerance to pain.

"Oh god, Lucy." He shudders.

I can feel him inside me. It's hard and throbbing. I've never felt anything like this. I have no words to describe it.

Then he starts moving. Forward and backward. Forward and backward. Slowly. Gently.

Oh god. It feels like I'm on fire. Every nerve down below is singing. My whole body is concentrated to what he is doing to me. Each thrust has me burning. Each movement of his hips feels so magnificent. His hands are on my hips as he thrusts against me.

I open my eyes which I didn't even know that I shut to see his face. It's an expression that I've never seen. He looks so relaxed and yet focused. His mouth is slack-jawed as if he doesn't know what to say.

Then his head leaned into my chest.

"Lucy." He moans against my breasts.

He then takes one of my breasts into his mouth. I moan. I have no idea where he learned all of these things but at this point I don't care. All I feel are his mouth and his hips.

I don't know how long we've been at it. It's probably a minute but it feels more like an eternity. And then I feel... something. It's like a dam with a crack in it. I feel like I'm going to burst.

Looking at Natsu, I think he's going to do the same.

I moan his name and he moans mine. I feel the dam inside me burst. My vision explodes in many colors. Then I feel something warm inside me.

He collapses on top of me. Natsu's way too heavy so I push him off me none too gently. He rolls over to the other side of the bed as he catches his breath.

I can't believe I did this. I did it with Natsu. And I have to admit to myself that I have no regrets.

I want to say something but he's already gone to sleep. Fortunately, he doesn't snore like a wildebeest like he normally does. Natsu looks so peaceful, so adorable when he's asleep. Even though I just woke up, my body feels sleepy. I lay down next to me when he wraps his arms around my body and pulls it against his rock hard one. In his embrace, I feel warm and protected. In Natsu's embrace, I feel safe and I can drift off to sleep.

* * *

"And that's what happened." I finished my story.

Erza nods. "So what happened next?" She asks.

"Well, we went back to our normal routine." I tell her. "We went fishing and hung out at the guild before the mission we just finished."

"I see. Have you two talked about what happened?" She prods.

I blush. "No."

She gets up and starts heading for the door. "Then that's what you and Natsu need to do. Resolve this before the two of you go on another mission." Erza says as she opens my door and lets herself out.

I am now alone in my house. Many things are running through my head. Erza is right. I really do need to talk to Natsu about this. I really need to know what happens now. What are we now?

Knowing Natsu like I do, I know that he will soon bust in through the window in...

3

2

1

I hear a knock at the door. I am surprised. I was expecting Natsu. But I guess I was wrong this time.

I open the door to see a familiar thatch of pink hair.

"Natsu?" I say in shock. I think this is the first time that he's ever knocked on my door.

"Can I come in, Lucy?" He asks me without the usual confidence that he normally has.

I am so flabbergasted by this turn of events that I let him in without a word.

He takes a seat on my couch. "Lucy, wanna go out on a date tomorrow?"

Okay! That came out of nowhere. I wasn't expecting him to say that.

"A date?" I ask.

"Yeah. A date. Like Gray and Juvia go out on dates." He clarifies.

"Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Sure. I like you, Lucy." He smiles. That boyish smile that shows his nice teeth. They were such simple words and yet they make me feel like I'm floating on air.

"I'd like that, Natsu." I smile back. "But first we need to talk about what happened a week ago."

His smile falters. "You don't regret what we did, do you?"

"I don't but I think we need to discuss it if we are going to make this work." I tell him.

His grin is back at full power and he agrees.

As we talk about what we want out of this relationship, I can't help but wonder how things work out sometimes. The start of me and Natsu being us is unorthodox but then again, so is Natsu. He's strong and kind and loyal and everything I've ever wanted in a boyfriend.

You know, I think I'm going to like being his girlfriend.

* * *

_Word Count: 4551_

**This takes place during Gruvia's B is for Break.**

**I have been mentioning in this series and in the other series that Natsu and Lucy had had sex before they started their relationship So there shouldn't be any surprise in that.**

**In many NaLu fics (or any fics with Natsu) that contain sexual content, Natsu is either this completely naive guy who knows nothing of sex or some sort of sex god. I think, on a scale of 0-10 when it comes to sexual experience, he ranks about a 2 or 3. He knows probably a thing or to but has never done anything before. He has shown interest in women and their physical attributes. In the FT Rave Master special, he describes his target as a woman with large breasts. He grins somewhat lecherously. He also convinces some of the guys to spy on the girls in the onsen before they are sent to the Spirit Realm. So he has shown interest. Plus he's in a guild where the master is perverted, Macao and Wakaba talk about women in the open, and many of the girls wear skimpy clothing. So he probably knows some stuff. Just not everything.**

**Lucy, however, strikes me as a prudish woman. She can use her sexuality to get discounts from perverted shopkeepers but when it actually comes to sex, I'd think she'd be rather shy. That's why I didn't have her use words like penis and certainly no vulgar words.**

**As for the birth control piece, I'd imagine that being a female mage would be a tough experience, just like being a female soldier. In the manga, Lucy is nearly sold off into slavery in the beginning. I don't think it would be her being some sort of maid. I think Bora was in sex trafficking at the beginning. Fortunately, Natsu saved her. And the two guys that attack Lucy during Loke's arc, I think that they would have done something horrible to Lucy i.e. rape. Luckily Loke was there to save her. If this happens to Lucy, I'd imagine that this could happen to any female mage so I think that they would take some extra precautions. That's my opinion. (P.S. I am not advocating unprotected sex. Condoms AND female birth control is key if you plan to be intimate with your partner.)**

**That's it. I hope you enjoyed the lemon (or not). By the way, I do have plans on doing this chapter again from Natsu's point of view.**

**Like it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_To Natsu, Fairy Tail is the most important thing in his life. Whoever you were before you joined is irrelevant as long as you have the Fairy Tail spirit._

**Any guesses for G? Should be easy**

**Finally, I'm done with this chapter.**

**Till next time,**

**A. Angel.**


	7. G is for Guild

**Chapter Get. It's chapter seven****  
**

**This should have been posted yesterday but I got distracted by both the Olympics but more importantly, the new Kingdom Hearts game. And so far, it is awesome.  
**

**To those who actually read the lemon, thanks for the input. Also, I have no idea where the "It's standing proud, kinda like Natsu" line came from. Just some freestyling in my head. I am glad that many of you agree with me about Natsu. Some authors see him as a complete innocent and if you showed him a pair of breasts he'd be like "I am 12 and what is this." I don't see that.  
**

**And to PhoenixedDragon and Tina, I actually had Erza, after hearing Lucy's tale of her first time, saying to Lucy that she was going to meet Jellal. Then Lucy would accuse Erza of using her to get herself "primed" if you will. But I felt that it would have been more silly that way.  
**

**Catwho, your flat-chested grandma line cracked me up.  
**

**Anywho, this chapter is PG. So nothing explicit. Enjoy.  
**

**Finally, three points to Phoenixed, Lovelyanimelover, Tina, animeluvv, and Mayhem for guessing the word.  
**

**And now, our feature presentation.**

* * *

**G is for Guild**

_What I want isn't money or pretty dresses, but a place that recognizes me as who I am. Fairy Tail is my other family, and it is a far more loving family than here. ~ Lucy Heartfilia. Chapter 68, Farewell_

The battle was over. Fairy Tail had won. They had triumphed over Phantom Lord.

And yet, Lucy was feeling depressed. She knew why though.

It was because of her that all of this happened. It was Lucy's fault that Levy and Team Shadow Gear were attacked. It was her fault that Master Makarov had lost his magic. It was her fault that her guildmates were nearly killed by the mad master Jose.

Lucy felt like she should have known. Her father, Jude Heartfilia, would not let her travel the world forever. He would eventually send someone to capture her and return her to the estate. And yet, the blonde, in all of the fun that she had adventuring with Natsu and company, completely let that fact slip her mind. The destruction that followed was the result of that.

But Fairy Tail conquered Phantom Lord in the end. It did not come without consequences. And Lucy was forced by Jose to see everything.

Erza was hit with the Jupiter Cannon. Even though she was able to endure the brunt of the attack with her strongest defensive armor, the famed Titania was bereft of magic. And yet, despite her injuries, she still fought and defeated Phantom's wind mage. On top of that, she endured massive injuries when she fought Phantom's Jose Porla. She endured this all for Lucy's sake.

Gray, who was already suffering from the injury that was inflicted on him during the S-class mission they took without permission (and getting him involved in the process), fought Phantom's water woman. Their fight caused his wound to open again. He also received first and second degree burns due to the scalding water she employed. And yet, he said to her that he was willing to die first before handing her over.

Elfman had endured psychological trauma from the Phantom's earth mage. He had to relive the horrible events of his younger sister's death. Because of it, he turned into the beast that had taken her life. Still, he endured it for the sake of everyone in the guild.

And Natsu, he had fought the Iron Dragon Slayer. He fought as hard as Lucy had ever seen him fight. For her sake. For her sake, Natsu endured pain, suffering, and injuries to protect her.

But when it was all over, not a single person blamed her. Lucy was shocked. Every one was happy that Lucy was safe and still with them. She felt some relief but no happiness. Rather than feel happy, Lucy felt incredibly guilty. Even with the injuries they endured, even with the pain radiating from their bodies, they told her that they were happy she was in their guild.

Why? Why did no one blame her? If she didn't come to Fairy Tail, no one would have gotten hurt. If she didn't come to Fairy Tail, everyone would have been safe.

* * *

These were the thoughts that went through her mind as she lied awake in her bed the night after Fairy Tail's victory. Everyone was at the wreckage of the guild having a victory party. But the blond didn't feel like celebrating. And so she tried going to sleep even though the sun had just set not ten minutes ago. But that wasn't happening either.

She was in so much pain and truly exhausted. Her stomach was wrapped in bandages and her and her left arm was in a sling and bandaged courtesy, in large part, to the Iron Dragon Slayer. The Stellar Spirit mage was extremely tired. And yet Lucy could not go to sleep. She kept thinking about the events of today, how everyone suffered because of her.

Lucy stared at the ceiling, counting the grooves and dots there. She did that because every time she closed her eyes, she could see her nakama suffer. The blond saw Erza getting blasted by the Jupiter cannon. She saw Mira being captured by the mechanical giant. She saw her guildmates suffer at the hands of Jose's shades. She saw Elfman beaten by the earth mage. She saw Gray drowning in the water mage's spell. She saw the Master struggling to breathe due to the lost of his magic. And she saw Natsu being pummeled by the Iron Dragon Slayer.

Lucy started to cry. The hot tears streamed down her face. It's all her fault. Everything that happened was her fault. Why did everyone have to suffer because of her?

Lucy heard a knock at her door. The blond stopped her tears to listen. Did she really hear the door?

Lucy wiped her face of tears and got up. It wouldn't do to answer the door looking like she was just crying.

"Just a minute." She called out.

Lucy went to her sink to wash her face. When she finished, she looked in the mirror. Her brown eyes looked less puffy. The blond took a deep breath and went to the door to open it.

Opening the door revealed her pink haired friend and her blue flying friend.

"Natsu? Happy?" Lucy gasped. She was not expecting them to come today.

"Yo, Lucy." Natsu grinned.

"Aye." Happy chimed.

Lucy gave the duo a wan smile. "What are you guys doing here?" She asked.

"You weren't at the guild." Natsu answered. "Everyone is there."

"Yeah, we are celebrating our victory." Happy cheered. "We beat Phantom Lord."

Lucy looked away. "Yeah, I'm kinda not in the mood for celebrating."

Natsu and Happy looked confused but the pink haired man shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay then." Natsu nodded his head. "Then can we hang out here?"

"Yeah, we want to celebrate with Lucy." Happy pleaded.

Lucy would have said no because she wanted to sleep. However, she took a look at Natsu. I mean, truly looked at him. Natsu was wrapped in bandages from his forehead, to his chest and arms and finally to his legs. Looking at Natsu made the blond feel so incredibly guilty that she acquiesced.

Natsu and Happy, unaware of Lucy's internal struggles, cheered as they entered Lucy's apartment.

The duo made themselves comfortable on Lucy's couch, jumping on the cushions. At any other time, she would have yelled at them for treating her stuff with such disrespect. But the blond didn't say anything.

"Would you like something to eat?" Lucy asked.

Natsu and Happy's eyes sparkled.

"Lucy's offering us food, Happy." Natsu looked at his furry companion in total joy.

"Lucy's a saint." Happy broke into fake sobs.

Lucy blanched at that. She was just trying to be polite. Leave it to them to make a big deal out of it.

With that in mind, the blond went over to her fridge and opened it. All she saw was some leftover chicken pasta in some Tupperware. She would heat it up in the microwave but it has been on the fritz. She took the Tupperware out of the fridge with her good hand.

"I've got some chicken pasta if you two want but I can't heat it up." Lucy yelled at them.

She handed the container to Natsu.

"Nah, don't worry." Natsu grinned childishly. "I can heat it up."

Using his magic, he warmed the Tupperware with his hands until it was the perfect temperature to eat.

"Awesome. Thanks Lucy." Natsu grinned.

Lucy nodded and offered Natsu a reserved smile.

Natsu gobbled the food with gusto, not even bothering with utensils. He just popped the food in his mouth with his hands. And the pink haired mage would have continued eating if he hadn't doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach..

Lucy's eyes widened in shock and she ran to Natsu's side. "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice coming jittery because she was worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He groaned. "I just pulled something. Nothing to worry about." Natsu tried to convince Lucy of that by smiling.

"Are you sure?" She asked hurriedly. "I can get you a pillow or something."

"No, no. I'm fine." Natsu told her.

"Lie down, Natsu." Lucy commanded as she pulled at Natsu's feet with her one good hand to get him to lie down.

"Lucy, Lucy, stop." He yelled as his feet were pulled.

"No Natsu. You need to relax." Lucy ordered as she continued to force Natsu to relax. "You are still injured."

Happy watched the struggle and was trying very hard not to laugh. It was almost like a comedy sketch.

"Lucy." Natsu roared. Then he pulled something in his struggling. "Oww. Dammit." He growled.

Lucy cringed in horror. "I'm so sorry. Let me get you something for that." She tried to pacify the Dragon Slayer.

Lucy decided to get a blanket for Natsu out of her linen closet. In her haste to get her friend that blanket immediately, she tripped on it, her head landing directly into Natsu's bandaged stomach. He bellowed in agony.

"I'm sorry." Lucy cried. "Let me get you some ice."

"No, Lucy stop." Natsu shouted.

"Please, it's no problem." The blond pleaded.

"LUCY." Natsu roared.

Lucy stopped in her tracks. Her chocolate brown eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"Please stop." The pink haired mage told his friend. "I am fine. You don't need to get me anything."

Lucy was shocked for a second. Then the dam burst. She started to cry.

Natsu and Happy were flabbergasted. One moment Lucy was helpful and now she was a crying mess.

"Natsu made Lucy cry." Happy shouted.

Natsu got up, with great effort due to his injuries, to try and placate his friend. "I didn't mean to." He mumbled, upset at himself for making his friend cry

"You shouted at her." Happy told him.

"It was an accident." Natsu said. He turned to Lucy. "Lucy, what's wrong?" He asked in concern.

"I'm sorry." Lucy whispered.

"Nah, It's okay." Natsu told her.

"It's not okay." Lucy countered. "It's all my fault."

"Don't worry about it." Natsu comforted her. "It was an accident. It wasn't like you planned to land on my stomach."

"It's my fault you're like this." Lucy told him.

"What do you mean?" Natsu was confused. Why was Lucy acting like this?

"It's my fault you are hurt." She cried.

"No it isn't. You aren't the one who hurt me." He told her.

"Yes it is." Lucy looked away. "It's because I hid who I was that you are hurt, that Fairy Tail was targeted."

Lucy started crying harder.

Natsu had no idea what to do. He had never seen a girl cry like this and so he had no idea what to do. The pink haired mage reached out to touch her but recoiled like she was hot, which was ironic because he could eat fire.

"Lucy please stop crying." Happy pleaded.

"Yeah Lucy." Natsu agreed. "It's not like you to cry."

"But this is all my fault." Lucy choked out another sob. "It's my fault that Levy and Team Shadow Gear was attacked. It's my fault that the master lost his magic. It's my fault that Erza, Elfman, Reedus, Gray, and you got hurt. If I hadn't come to Fairy Tail, none of this would have happened. I hid my true identity before I joined Fairy Tail and all of you suffered because of it. I knew that being a Heartfilia would cause trouble but I shouldn't have involved you in my problems. For that, I am sorry."

Natsu looked Lucy deep in her eyes. Then he scoffed and looked away. "I don't care about who you were before Fairy Tail."

It was an odd statement but it resonated powerfully with Lucy. She was speechless.

"Who you were before you joined Fairy Tail doesn't matter to me or anyone else in the guild." Natsu told her in all seriousness. "We fought for you not because you are some sort of heiress but because you are a member of our guild. I'm sure that I speak for everyone that to us you are Just Lucy, Lucy of Fairy Tail."

Lucy's tears stopped flowing.

Just Lucy.

It's an odd concept. When she was growing up, she was Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Jude Heartfilia and heiress to the Heartfilia Kouzen. She was raised as a veritable princess with studies and etiquette lessons. Every material want was met a thousand times over. She wore the most fashionable clothes, had the most expensive jewerly, ate the most exquisite food and studied under the best teachers. Lucy had everything she could have ever wanted in life just handed to her like a birthright.

However, though she wanted for nothing, she had a very great need. Lucy needed a person who looked past the veneer of the heiress guise and saw the person underneath. She wanted to be seen not as Lucy Heartfilia the heiress but Just Lucy, the person. Now, she got her dearest wish. She had a whole guild full of people see her and accept her as Just Lucy. And not only that, they were willing to fight to protect her, Just Lucy, whom they only knew for not even two months.

Lucy felt incredibly happy to be Just Lucy of Fairy Tail.

Natsu regarded Lucy curiously. Her face looked frozen.

"Lucy." His voice was low but powerful.

Lucy was pulled out of her thoughts. "Huh?" She answered.

"Give me your hand, the one with our guild mark." He commanded.

Lucy gave Natsu her right hand. Natsu took it with his left and turned around so that she could see the guild mark on his right arm just below his shoulder.

"Happy, come here and turn around." He told his furry flying friend.

Happy had no idea what Natsu was about to do but he complied and turned around. Natsu lifted Happy's satchel to reveal his guild mark.

"Lucy?" Natsu began. "Do you know what this mark means?"

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows. It was such an easy question. "Yeah, it means I'm a member of Fairy Tail." She whispered.

"It means more than that, Lucy." Natsu corrected her. "The old man told me this when I joined the guild almost 10 years ago. It means that as soon as you wear this mark, you are connected with every member of Fairy Tail."

Lucy gasped. She wasn't expecting Natsu to wax philosophical. Will wonders never cease.

Natsu continued, unaware of Lucy's thoughts. "It means that Lucy's joy is Fairy Tail's joy and we will celebrate with you. Lucy's sorrow is Fairy Tail's sorrow and we will work together to help you. A friend of Lucy is a friend of Fairy Tail and we will open our doors to them. An enemy of Lucy is an enemy of Fairy Tail and we will crush them into nothing. And Lucy is in trouble, Fairy Tail will lay everything on the line to save her. Because in Fairy Tail, it doesn't matter who you were before, as long as you have the Fairy Tail spirit, as long as you care about your nakama the way that your nakama cares about you, you will always be a member of Fairy Tail."

Happy smiled at his friend. This was probably the longest speech he had ever given and it was so well delivered that he had to keep himself from tearing up in joy.

Lucy had no such qualms as she started crying anew.

Natsu and Happy were in shock again.

"Natsu made Lucy cry again." Happy gasped.

Natsu turned white. Here he was, trying to cheer Lucy up and he made her cry again. It's a good thing that Erza wasn't here. She'd beat him into a pulp. "Lucy. I'm sorry. Please don't cry."

Lucy chuckled lightly. "These are happy tears." She told him. "No one has ever said such nice things about me before."

"Never?" Natsu asked. Sure, it wasn't the most tactful of questions but the pink haired mage couldn't believe that someone as nice as Lucy has never had anyone say nice things about her.

"Never." Lucy answered. "I've always been surrounded by many people: teachers, maids, servants. But they couldn't be my friend. Father would say that I couldn't make friends with the help. I was a Heartfilia, he'd say, and I live in a different world than most people."

Lucy dried her tears with her hands. "All this time, I just wanted to have someone who sees me as Just Lucy."

"And now you have a whole guild who sees you like that." Natsu smiled.

Lucy smiled back. It wasn't as powerful as Natsu's but it was pure and true.

"You're right. Thank you for that." Lucy told him.

"Anytime." He replied.

Lucy then looked away. There was something she wanted to ask him now that he was here.

"Can I ask a favor of you?" Lucy asked.

"Sure. What is it?" Natsu wondered.

Lucy still did not meet Natsu's eyes. This question was so embarrassing. "Can you and Happy stay here the night? I don't think I am ready to sleep by myself tonight."

Natsu understood completely. With everything that happened, Lucy was still shook up about it. He grinned boyishly. "Of course."

Lucy smiled at him. Then she let loose a yawn. "Thank you." She mumbled sleepily. "I'm going to head to bed."

"Okay, good night Lucy." Natsu told her.

"Yeah good night Lucy." Happy mimicked.

Lucy gave them a tired wave and went to her room. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

* * *

Lucy was no longer plagued by her guilt. She now understood the spirit of Fairy Tail. Sure they are a rough and tumble bunch. They overdo things and leave a ton of destruction in their wake. But they are also loyal and selfless. They are willing to put their lives on the line for one of their own, regardless of who they were before joining. And if she really thought about it, she would also do the same thing for her nakama. That's just the way of Fairy Tail.

But now that the fighting was settled, there was one last thing that had to be resolved. Lucy had to confront the one person who set everything in motion, the one who hired Phantom Lord to capture her. She must now face her father, Jude Heartfilia.

So, as soon as the Magic Council had finished their investigation and her bruises had healed, Lucy was on the first train to the Heartfilia Estate.

There, Lucy had told her father, in no uncertain terms, that she was officially leaving the Heartfilia house. The blonde told him that Fairy Tail was her family now and that if he ever laid a finger on them again, he would be considered an enemy. She said that Fairy Tail doesn't see her as a Heartfilia, an heiress, but as an equal and a friend. With that, Lucy Heartfilia, no, Just Lucy of Fairy Tail left the Heartfilia manor for good. As she walked, she was confident she made the right decision.

Lucy stopped by the grave of her mother, deep in thought. She remembered all of the good times she had with her when all of a suddent, Natsu, Happy, Gray and Erza came out of nowhere, shouting her name. Needless to say, she was very surprised to see them here. Then again, she shouldn't be. Fairy Tail was family and family looked after their own.

The four of them were ready to convince her to come back to Fairy Tail. Lucy was confused by that statement until Erza handed her the note that she wrote to herself. She explained that she was just here to settle things with her father and visit her mother. She had no intention of leaving. Even so, Lucy couldn't help but smile. They came all this way for her sake. It really made her happy.

The five returned to Magnolia in high spirits, well almost high spirits. Natsu was still looking green after the train ride. Gray and Erza went their separate ways, leaving Lucy, Natsu and Happy walking towards her apartment.

"I'm never going on a train again." Natsu gurgled, feeling the need to hurl.

"Natsu's gonna throw up." Happy said cheerfully.

Lucy chuckled. Even with everything that happened, Natsu was still Natsu.

"Hey Natsu." Lucy called out to him. The threesome had just reached her apartment.

"Yeah." Natsu answered sickly.

"Thanks." She responded.

Natsu's confusion snapped him out of his sickness. "For what?" He asked.

"For your words a week ago." She told him. "It was your words that gave me the courage to confront my father."

Natsu cocked his head. Then he smiled. "You're welcome."

Lucy moved to where he was and gave him and Happy a big hug. The two of them returned the hug back, happy to see the old Lucy back.

"Thank you. Really." Lucy whispered in their ear.

She let them go and headed to the door.

Natsu and Happy waved to her. "See you tomorrow at the guild." Natsu called out to his partner with a smile.

"Yeah, it'll be fun." Happy chimed.

"I'm sure it will be. Good night." With that, she opened her door and entered her house.

Lucy would remember this event for the rest of her life as the main reason she loved Fairy Tail, that loyalty to nakama. And, years later, she would also look at this event as the moment her feelings for Natsu became _just_ a little deeper.

* * *

_Word Count: 3603_

**Another chapter in the books.**

**When I came up with the Fairy Tail project, I wanted one chapter per couple to be on what the guild means to them. I had already accomplished that, in part, on Gajeel and Levy's fic with A is for Attachment and I will get to the one for Gray and Juvia in a later chapter.**

**In any case, this chapter's done and I have nothing else to say.**

**So. Like it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. Remember boys and girls: Favorites and follows are nice but the best thing you can give to an author is a review. And a detailed review is the best gift of all. Believe you me.**

**Anyways, here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_Natsu loved rescuing Lucy. It gave him a huge ego boost knowing that he was her personal Superman. That feeling still hasn't gone away even after they started dating._

**Any guesses for the H word here? Should be very easy.**

**Well, until next time,**

**A. Angel.**


	8. H is for Hero

**Do you remember the days when I used to post 3 chapters in a week? Pepperridge Farm remembers.  
**

**Wow. It's been a long time coming. The reason being is not because of lack of inspiration but lack of drive. My drive, i.e. my girlfriend, is currently in England on work related things leaving me here with our baby and my own work. You see. I do the work thing. I take care of my daughter's needs and she cries at night, leaving me tired. Afterwards, my body feels like crashing. Plus I got a bunch of video games and there's also the internet distracting me. It's really tough. The good news is that she'll be coming back last week of September. So will that translate into faster updates? Maybe? Maybe not.  
**

**But seriously, thanks for the reviews. They make it all worthwhile Let's take a look at some of them.  
**

**Kurospirit, This was rather deliberate. At that point in the manga Natsu and Lucy's friendship was getting stronger but not at the "love stage". I didn't want the cliche "Oh, she fell for him at that moment." Just that her feelings got a bit deeper.  
**

**niners, lur4 Coriredde and Natsu-the-Salamander, I'm glad that you thought this was like an extra piece to the way the Phantom Lord arc ended. I felt like this needed to be done. There were so many points that Mashima could have hit on. So I did it for him.  
**

**I appreciate all of the reviews. Really I do.  
**

**Now here's chapter 8. Since I took so long to write this, I made it longer than I normally do. A word before we begin, this fic would be rated PG-13. There's mentions of sex in it but nothing explicit. We're all adults here right.  
**

**Finally, the points. Two points to Kuro, Ana-san, almediabeu, Sarah, , Fuji, VampireManiac, Kauia, Shimmering, NatsuxLucyForever, Wasabi-kun, Phoenixed, niners, Katherine, Crimson Mascara, Lovelyanimelover, rosewithoutthorns, Jun-shang, tina, emilia, Sinnclaire, and NatsuxLucy.  
**

**Now, our feature presentation.**

* * *

**H is for Hero**

_So when you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong. And you'll finally see the truth, that a hero lies in you. ~ Mariah Carey, Hero_

"Natsu!" Lucy gasped in pleasure.

"Lucy!" Natsu groaned in the same intonation.

The two reached the high point in their pleasure simultaneously.

After the moment passed, the two lovers collapsed on the shared bed in a delicious heap of limbs and bodies. Lucy cuddled up against her boyfriend and Natsu cradled her naked body against his. He wore a smirk on his face. You know, that smirk that a man has when he's thoroughly satisfied his lover in every way and knows that he did? That smirk.

"Natsu, that's three times already." She purred, reveling in the afterglow. "We should probably get some sleep."

"Are you kidding? We can go another three rounds easy." He said smugly.

"But we need some sleep." Lucy pleaded half-heartedly. A part of her wanted another go but her rational mind told her to get some sleep.

"I'm not hearing a no." The Dragon Slayer's voice dripped like honey, setting a trap.

Lucy turned over to place her delicate hands on Natsu's face. She kissed him hard and passionate. Natsu returned the favor. However, all too suddenly, she pulled away. She rested her head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat slowing down from their nocturnal activities.

"Sleep, Natsu." She whispered against his chest. "Tomorrow's another day."

Natsu whined like a child who was chastised. "But Lucy..." He pleaded.

"If we keep it up, we won't be able to go on a mission tomorrow." The Stellar Spirit mage told him. "And you've been wanting to beat Gray in that stupid contest of yours."

Natsu huffed, remembering the contest. "You're right, Luce." He reluctantly agreed.

Damn that contest, cutting into his sex life. Natsu was sorely tempted to forfeit it just to get some more loving from Lucy. But his man's pride was the one thing that was holding him back. That and Gray would never let him live it down if he forfeited.

Oh how Natsu loved making love to Lucy. Even two years of dating still hasn't diminished that feeling of excitement when the two of them are behind closed doors: the thrill of being naked and vulnerable with Lucy, her body heat against his, the sheen of sweat that they would both be covered in during their coupling and most importantly, the look in her eyes when she reached her limit and plummeted from her high. Damn, just thinking about it made him want another go.

And Lucy, well Lucy was no innocent in bed, let me tell you. The things she could do with her lips and her fingers and her breasts and her body. Natsu shivered in excitement.

A lot of the men in Fairy Tail (i.e. the ones who didn't have girlfriends) wanted to know how good Lucy was. Surprisingly, Natsu would never tell them. Part of it was when he had casually mentioned that he and Lucy did it before they first started going out, Lucy went ballistic. She left him a mangled pile of limbs when Cana ratted him out. And so, he had learned the hard way that what they did behind closed doors should stay there. But also, the Dragon Slayer loved that he was the only one who knew what Lucy was like in the bedroom. It was his little secret and one he would never share with anybody.

Now this isn't to say that sex was the main reason for their relationship. In fact, after their first time before they became a couple, the next time that they made love was almost ten months later.

When they did do it the first few times, their coupling was very uncoordinated, guided more by instinct than actual talent. But, like anything worth doing, Natsu and Lucy got better at making love to each other. Natsu loved to heat up his fingers and run them down Lucy's luscious body. And the moans, the moans coming from her mouth were delicious. Lucy, in return, laved attention to the scar on Natsu's neck. It was very sensitive to her lips. Watching him be helpless to her attacks was a very good high and it got him raring to go.

The best times Natsu and Lucy made love was right after an intense battle. The adrenaline pumping, the joy found in finding a tough opponent, the thrill of defeating said opponent left the two of them wanting one another carnally. And the best times were right after Natsu saved Lucy in combat.

Natsu loved rescuing Lucy. It gave his ego a huge boost being her personal Superman. Sure, he knew that the Stellar Spirit mage was strong, even if she doubted it herself. But everyone needs to be rescued once in a while. Lucy was no exception. So when he did save her from a blow that could have done some serious damage, his girlfriend was very thankful and showed her gratitude in ways that made Natsu's eyes roll into his head.

That's it. Natsu couldn't take it any more. He needed Lucy now.

"Luce!" Natsu whispered.

Lucy was already fast asleep.

"Aww." Natsu mock whined. "You had to fall asleep."

Natsu smiled at his lover and kissed her forehead. He then joined her in sleep.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy were walking side by side, heading towards the craziness that is Fairy Tail. Happy was flying alongside them. The pink haired mage was especially pumped up. This is day 24 of his and Gray's Real Man Consecutive Mission Contest. He had a feeling that the ice mage was ready to give up.

"Today's the day I beat that droopy-eyed bastard." Natsu grinned victoriously, pumping his fist in the air.

Happy cheered with him while Lucy rolled her eyes. Natsu and his testosterone is going to get him in trouble one of these days. But, then again, she did love this childish part of him too.

Natsu busted open the doors of Fairy Tail, eager to get started on his mission. Lucy and Happy trailed behind to find that the Fire Dragon Slayer is already at the mission request board.

Natsu examined the board carefully. He wanted a mission that he could do in a day and would have bad guys to crush. Then he found the perfect mission.

"The Magic Council humbly requests a guild to take down the rogue government agents, Dead Cell." Natsu read aloud. "We are offering 5 million Jewels for each member brought back to the military station at Holsaka, dead or alive. Be forewarned. They are very powerful... yadda, yadda, yadda." The Fire Dragon Slayer grinned. "This is the mission for me."

As soon as he reached for it, another hand grabbed it at the same time. Natsu looked to see who the hand belong to and, when he did, he grimaced.

"Damn you, Underwear Prince. This is mine." Natsu growled, glaring him down.

"I got it first, Ash for Brains." Gray growled back, returning the glare.

"The hell I let you use this mission to put you ahead, Droopy Eyes." The flame mage told him without equivocation. "This one is mine."

"And you think I'll just let you take what's mine, Slanty Eyes." The ice mage shot back. "Get over yourself and give me back my mission."

The two of them started to brawl over who would take the mission. Lucy and Happy watched bemusedly as they continue to act like children and not like the twenty-one year old men that they were. Juvia joined them, watching the brawl just as bemusedly as Lucy and Happy.

All of a sudden, Natsu and Gray felt this ominous presence. It felt like a force of nature descending on them. They knew that only one person could have this kind of presence.

"It's Erza." Natsu and Gray yelled in terror simultaneously.

That's when they saw her. Clad in her usual armor, the redhead casually walked over to Natsu and Gray, inspiring terror as she did. The two men got to Erza Defense Mode Alpha: Buddy-Buddy. They linked arms and put on the best smiling faces they could on short notice.

"Good morning, Erza." Natsu stammered. "How are you this fine morning?"

"I am good, Natsu." Erza said, stonefaced. "You and Gray aren't fighting, are you?" Those last words were said as a challenge and not a question.

"No, no, Erza." Gray countered quickly, sweat dripping from his forehead. "We were just in a disagreement."

Erza sighed. "I see." She said calmly. "I suppose even the best of friends have their scuffles. But you shouldn't allow yourselves to solve it with violence."

"Aye." Natsu and Gray chimed in terror.

Lucy, watching this, had to wonder if Natsu and Gray have really grown up at all.

"Well, what seems to be the problem?" Erza asked.

"We were picking out missions and our hands grabbed the same paper." Natsu said, trying as hard as he could to make sure his voice was even and didn't show signs of terror.

"Yeah. And me and Natsu were discussing, rather civilly I might add, who should take the mission when you showed up." Gray continued in the same intonation.

"I see. Allow me to read the mission." Erza told them.

Natsu and Gray handed Erza the mission paper. She read the paper carefully. When she was done, her face was grim.

"Dead Cell, huh?" Erza sighed. "This mission is way too dangerous for someone to take by themselves. If you two insist on taking this mission, then I must come along."

"But Erza..." Natsu and Gray whined.

"The last time you four went on an A class mission that was actually an S class without me, Juvia almost died." Erza said softly.

The four other mages sighed. It wasn't their proudest moment, especially for Gray. Nearly losing Juvia changed everything, how he went about missions, making sure to tell his girlfriend that he loved her, everything.

"I refuse to let my nakama down like that again." She whispered.

"Erza-san, Juvia is stronger than she was at that time." Juvia told her. "She will not get hurt like that again."

"Yeah, Erza." Gray said while looking away. "Nothing like that will ever happen again."

"I'm going. End of discussion." Titania said in her scariest voice.

Everyone was frightened out of their minds. "Aye." They shouted.

Erza smiled. She looked at Natsu and Gray. "Good. Meet me at the train station in one hour and do not be late."

Erza walked out of the door. Natsu and Gray went back to glaring at each other.

"This is all your fault, Ice Queen." Natsu growled. "Now we have to take a mission with her."

"My fault?" Gray challenged. "If you would have just let go of the paper, this wouldn't have happened, you flaming bastard."

"You wanna go, droopy eyes?" Natsu shouted at his rival.

"Let's go, slanty eyes."

Lucy was now tired of this knuckle-dragging testosterone match. So she decided to end it. "If you two get into a fight, we are going to keep Erza-san waiting." She told them.

They were now frightened enough.

"Come on, Juvia. We need to hurry." Gray said as grabbed his girlfriend's hand. The two of them hurried out of the guild.

Natsu and Lucy were still in the guild. The Fire Dragon Slayer continued grumbling. The Stellar Spirit mage turned to her boyfriend.

"I think Erza's right. This mission might be too hard to do by ourselves." Lucy said in a soft whisper.

Natsu smiled at his girlfriend. "I told you before that I won't let anyone hurt you. I'll protect you."

"You don't need to protect me." Lucy told him, a smirk on her face. "I can take care of myself."

"I know that." Natsu said. "And I've got your back." He put a hand on her lower back. "Count on it."

Lucy shivered despite herself. Even when he wasn't trying, Natsu had a way of Lucy making feel special.

"Alright. Let's head out." Natsu cheered.

* * *

Natsu found himself sprawled on the seats of the train, his head in Lucy's lap while she caressed his pink hair in an effort to ameliorate his motion sickness. Happy was sitting on her shoulders. Erza was sitting next to the window opposite Lucy. Gray and Juvia were sitting on the other end. The red-headed Knight was in the middle of explaining who Dead Cell was.

Everyone was wrapped up in what Erza was saying... Everyone but Natsu. He was still feeling the effects of motion sickness.

From his current vantage point in Lucy's lap, he saw a curious sight. Gray was running his fingers on Juvia's leg, quite sensually I might add. One of Juvia's hand was behind Gray's back, doing who knows what. Natsu felt guilty and a bit disgusted at this not so obvious display. Sure he can accept that Gray and Juvia have sex but that doesn't mean he wanted to watch. If only he wasn't sick, then he wouldn't be subjected to this... this...

"Juvia needs to use the restroom." Juvia announced, getting up very quickly.

Erza just nodded. "Of course Juvia."

She walked towards the restroom.

"Well, we should prepare for a harsh fight ahead." Erza continued as if she wasn't interrupted.

Gray got up from his seat.

"What's the matter, Gray?" Erza asked.

He showed her a plastic bottle. "These are Juvia's eyedrops." Gray told her. "She's had some serious red eye. I need to bring it to her."

Without any other prompting, the ice mage walked over to the restroom where Juvia was.

Natsu may be naive but he was no idiot. He knew that Gray and Juvia were doing it in the train's restroom. He seriously thought about telling Erza about this. If she found out what those two were doing, Gray would be stomped into nothing. Oh how he was tempted. But rule six of the Guy Code is clear.

_If a guy is in the process of getting some, you should not interfere unless the girl in question is somehow related to you._

Plus, he was sick to his stomach and didn't have to the strength to say anything. He looked up to see if Lucy noticed it. She was smart. She would say something.

Unfortunately, Lucy was currently reading a book and Happy was chowing down on some fish. So Natsu was going to have to let it slide.

"Gray is such a good boyfrined." Erza said off-handedly. "Natsu would do well to take some pointers from him."

So very, very tempted.

* * *

The group reached the city of Kimlasca. Erza had heard rumors that three of the members of Dead Cell were holed up here.

"Okay, Natsu. You and Lucy take the north side." Erza ordered. "Gray, you and Juvia take the west side. And I'll take Happy with me to cover the east side."

"Right." The others agreed and went to their separate directions.

Lucy was running alongside Natsu, a little worried about this change of pace. Natsu noticed this.

"What's wrong, Luce?" The pink haired man asked.

"I'm just wondering if it was a good idea to separate like this." Lucy admitted. "I mean, these guys sound strong."

"So?" Natsu countered. "We can handle this. Have confidence."

Lucy smiled. "You're right, Natsu."

"And your fantastic and immensely sexy lover is going to protect you." The Dragon Slayer said somewhat smugly. "Don't worry. I'm the hero of the story and I always win."

The blonde rolled her eyes at that. Sometimes, Natsu was over the top. But such was his charm.

Natsu and Lucy continued on the north side, reaching a dense forest. The Dragon Slayer suddenly stopped and grabbed Lucy's hand.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" Lucy asked.

Natsu took a sniff of the air. "Something's not right." He said seriously. The pink haired mage had that look on his face that indicated that he was ready for a fight.

Lucy put her hands on her keys, ready to call on her spirits at any moment.

"Come on out." Natsu shouted. "I know you're there."

Natsu and Lucy started to hear a kssh, kssh sound.

"You, pink haired boy, have no flair for the dramatic." A voice shouted from behind them.

When they turned around, Natsu and Lucy saw no one there.

"In any case, you two are right on time." The voice continued to shout, a kssh kssh sound still following it. "I like punctual mages."

"He must be from Dead Cell." Lucy figured.

"I am Fatman, the greatest humanity has to offer... and the lowest." The voice belonging to Fatman told them.

Natsu caught a glance at Fatman. "He's wearing skates. That's how he's moving around so fast."

Now, Natsu and Lucy could hear a loud ticking sound.

"Can you hear it? The rhythm?" Fatman asked. "It's the rhythm of time. And LIFE." He told them joyfully.

Lucy grimaced. Another nutjob.

Fatman decided that now was the time to show himself. Skidding on his skates, he stopped right in front of the two.

An obese man wearing a large green overcoat was smiling at them, wine glass filled with a mild chardonnay.

"Life is short." Fatman gleefully told them.

Behind them, something exploded. Unconsciously, the two of them jumped and got themselves ready for a fight.

"Bombs tell the time with every moment of their existence and nothing else announces its own end with such a fanfare." The obese man said.

Natsu was perturbed. "Are we going to fight or what?"

Fatman responded by drinking the chardonnay. "Good year." He giggled.

Natsu prepared for combat by engulfing his arms in flames. "Let's do this."

Fatman sneered down at Natsu and Lucy. "Such a boorish man." The man sneered.

Fatman put his hands together and created a wired bomb. He planted it one of the trees.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Fatman asked. "I am an explosion mage. I can create a bomb out of sheer thought. It's sort of a creation magic. Here's how the game is played. I plant my bombs, you try to defuse them if you can. If you fail, the bomb will go off." He cackled.

"But you'll die too." Lucy yelled, scared of what she just heard.

Fatman laughed. "You don't seem to understand. By dying in a grand explosion, I'll become a legend in the minds of explosion mages. You should be thankful that I am giving you a fighting chance though. I could just make you go boom."

Natsu growled. "You're crazy."

"Let's move." Fatman yelled and skated through the trees.

Natsu looked at Lucy. "Lucy, take care of the bombs. I'll beat down this guy."

"I have no idea how to do that." She said.

"I've got faith in you." Natsu told her. "I'm going."

Natsu ran off. Lucy took a deep breath and ran towards the bomb. She looked at the mass of wires, diodes and lights. She groaned.

"Dammit. I should have paid attention whenever me and Natsu went to those stupid action movies with the bombs." Lucy mumbled to herself.

Lucy rubbed her temples to figure out what she needed to do.

That's when it hit her. "That's right. I got to cut these wires."

She grabbed her keys.

_Open the gate of the crab_. **CANCER**

From the ether, the crab-like man, Cancer, appeared.

"Miss Lucy, do you need me to do your hair today-ebi?" Cancer asked.

Lucy groaned a little. "No, Cancer." She told him. "Do you see this bomb? I need you to cut these wires."

Cancer took a step back. "Bomb disposal isn't my specialty-ebi."

"I know but if we don't defuse these things, all of us are going to die." Lucy pleaded.

"Okay, tell me which wire-ebi." The spirit told her.

"I don't know. All of them." Lucy panicked.

"Okay." Cancer replied.

Cancer, in one cut, snipped all of the wires to the bomb. When he did so, a ticking sound emitted from the device. It got faster and faster.

"I think it's going to blow." Lucy screamed. "We have to contain it."

_Open the gate of the lamb_, **ARIES**

From the ether, a woman with lamb horns and wool appeared.

"I'm sorry." Aries apologized.

"Don't worry about that." Lucy quickly chided. "Use your magic to suppress the bomb.

"Okay."

**WOOL BALL**

Aries summoned a giant wool ball and engulfed the bomb.

The bomb exploded, causing the ball to expand greatly. However, it was completely suppressed. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright you two." Lucy cheered. "Now let's go find Natsu. If we find other bombs on the way, we need to defuse them.

Cancer and Aries nodded and followed Lucy. On their way, they found several bombs created by Fatman. They defused them using the same method as before.

As they got closer, Lucy could hear the sounds of fighting. She had to smile. Natsu sounded like he was really tearing it up. She turned to Cancer and Aries.

"Thank you for all of the help." She smiled.

The two spirits smiled back and disappeared.

Lucy continued on and saw Natsu frozen in place.

"Natsu." She shouted out to him.

"Don't move." He yelled. "Don't come closer."

Lucy froze. Natsu rarely took that tone with her. When he did, it usually meant something important.

She took a look at Natsu. He was standing in a circle of blinking lights. On his chest was a brick-shaped object with a blinking light.

Fatman snickered maliciously. "That's right, blondie. I've got him wired up with explosives. If he takes one step outside of the infrared sensors, he'll explode."

"Lucy, don't worry about me." Natsu told her. "I'll be fine. Go get help."

Lucy didn't listen to Natsu. Instead she ran over to him.

"Lucy, what are you doing?" Natsu yelled. "I said don't worry about me." Natsu explained. "Go get Erza or Gray."

Lucy ignored Natsu and instead turned towards Fatman. "What did you do to Natsu?" She yelled at the explosives mage.

"Ever see a cat play with an injured mouse?" Fatman cackled. "I'm playing with my food. I want this to last as long as it can."

Lucy's eyes narrowed.

"You see..." Fatman continued. "I can tell that Pinkie here is the stronger of you two. That's why I'm saving him for later."

Lucy bristled at the connotation. "So you are after me." She said resolutely.

"I've never seen someone defuse my bombs like you do." The mad bomber praised. "Others who have tried had to employ space-time magic or neutralization magic. Your method is simple yet effective. Cut the wires and smother the explosion. It's quite brilliant."

Lucy glared at the obese mage.

"Don't look at me like that, Blondie." Fatman winked. "You should be honored going first. Your death will give Pinkie a reason to fight harder."

Natsu growled. "I'll rip you to pieces."

Fatman cackled madly. "Let the party begin."

The obese man lobbed energy balls at Lucy, who dodged them on the run. She noticed that they were near a lake. That's when the Stellar Spirit mage got an idea. She pulled two keys from her keychain and pointed one near the water.

_Open the gate of the water bearer, AQUARIUS_

_Open the gate of the scorpion, SCORPIO_

From the ether, Aquarius and Scorpio appeared. Aquarius turned to Lucy and glared at her.

"Dammit woman." Aquarius growled at Lucy. "I was about to meet my boyfriend. You have one. Call on him to help you."

"Aquarius." Scorpio told his girlfriend. "Lucy needs our strength. We are..."

Aquarius looked at her boyfriend with love-love eyes. "Ohhh, Scorpio, of course." Aquarius squealed like a schoolgirl in love.

They both got into a battle position. Fatman looked like he was about to receive a gift for his birthday.

"Ready, Aquarius?" Scorpio asked with a grin.

"Ready, Scorpio." Aquarius glared at Fatman.

Aquarius drew water into her jug. She twirled it around.

"Drown." Aquarius yelled.

She threw the water at Fatman.

Scorpio got into a crouch position and pointed his tail at Fatman.

**SAND BLASTER**

Sand blew out from his tail and was aimed at Fatman

The water and sand combined effortlessly.

**UNISON RAID - GAEA PRISON**

The sand solidified into a charging rock spell.

Fatman giggled. "Unison Raid? Not bad."

He pointed at the column of solidified earth. "Bang, Bang." He whispered.

From his fingers, purple beams were launched at the solidified earth. On contact, the beams exploded. However, it had no effect on Aquarius and Scorpio's Unison Raid.

In an instant, the solidified earth swallowed up Fatman up to his head.

Fatman chuckled. "Not bad, Blondie. Except..."

Fatman started yelling. As he did, he was enveloped in purple magic. From his body, a flash of light expanded, causing an explosion. The explosion freed his body from the confines of the solidified earth.

Fatman looked at himself. Except for the dirt on his body, he was completely fine.

"Nothing like a little mud bath to make you feel ten years younger." Fatman laughed malevolently.

Lucy was flabbergasted. "But how? Aquarius and Scorpio were able to overcome your explosions."

"It's simple." Fatman explained. "My explosions are powerful. But when I give it form, they increase in power one hundred fold. Let me demonstrate."

Fatman pointed at Lucy with his fingers in the shape of a gun.

"Bang, Bang." Fatman whispered.

A purple beam shot out of his fingers and hit Lucy square in the chest, knocking her back.

"Lucy!" Aquarius and Scorpio shouted, fearful of what happened to their master.

They were about to chase after her but they were unable to because Lucy's magic had dropped significantly after she was hit.

"Lucy." Natsu shouted. "Are you okay? Lucy!"

Instinctively, Natsu ran after Lucy. However, in his haste to rescue her, the Dragon Slayer forgot that he was wired with explosives. As soon as he stepped out of the circle, a whirling sound emitted from the bomb on his chest. Natsu looked at his chest in horror.

"No. Lucy." Natsu whispered.

The bomb exploded and Natsu was thrown back. His back hit a tree with such force that he toppled it over.

"Natsu." Lucy screamed.

She made her way towards Natsu. Her body ached but she willed herself to go to him.

What she saw broke her heart. Natsu, her boyfriend, her invincible hero, was lying in a slump against the remnants of a tree. His eyes were closed, his forehead was bloodied, his chest was blackened by the explosion, his body was unmoving.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. How could this have happened. "Natsu." She sobbed quietly. "Natsu, wake up."

"Lucy." Natsu groaned softly. "You need to get away."

Lucy chuckled bemusedly. "Like I could escape by myself. I told you before, I'd rather be together with everyone than run away by myself."

Natsu, before passing out, remembered Tenrou Island and Kain Hikaru. He remembered how she nearly died fighting him and how powerless he felt as he was trapped beneath rubble. She said those same words. The Dragon Slayer knew that Lucy would stay with him, no matter what. And that's what scared him the most.

"Lucy." Natsu whispered. Then he lost consciousness.

Lucy held Natsu's hand. Behind her, she felt a malicious presence.

"So he's gone." Fatman chuckled. "Too bad. I thought that he was much stronger than that. Oh well."

Lucy didn't turn around. Instead, she helped Natsu to his feet and tried to escape with him. However, he was very heavy and unconscious.

Fatman materialized a bomb in his hand. "Do not worry. I'll let you join him." He created a grenade and threw it at Lucy and Natsu.

Lucy couldn't get Natsu away in time. She closed her eyes and waited for the explosion to engulf them

However, she felt like she was swallowed by something. Lucy opened her eyes. The blonde realized that she and Natsu were in a familiar place.

"Horologium?" Lucy whispered. She realized that they was inside the clock spirit, Horologium.

"Do not worry, Lucy-san." Horologium told them. "I put you and Natsu-san inside of me and teleported away."

"But how..." She began to say.

"I was told by Aquarius-san to be on Automatic Danger Response Mode." Horologium said. "But I am at my limit. Please take Natsu-san and escape."

Lucy sighed in relief. "Thank you Horologium and please thank Aquarius for me." She said.

Horologium disappeared into the ether, leaving Lucy and Natsu still in the forest. She picked up Natsu and tried to carry him away from the forest. However...

"Did you honestly believe that you could escape me?" Fatman cackled. "Now let me put this fight to bed."

Lucy, despite her exhaustion and the weight of Natsu on her, grabbed her keys to summon Loke.

Fatman, seeing that Lucy was going to summon another spirit, materialized a sticky bomb and threw it at Lucy's keyring with great force. The sticky bomb attached to the keyring and ripped it out of her hand. The sticky bomb attached to a tree.

"Now you won't be able to summon any more spirits." Fatman cackled. "Should you get anywhere near it, the bomb will explode, destroying your keys."

Lucy felt angry tears sting her eyes. "You monster." Lucy growled.

"You know it, Sweet Cheeks." Fatman grinned lecherously. "Let's end this."

Fatman put his hands together.

"I have to do something." Lucy mumbled to herself.

She knew that she couldn't carry Natsu fast enough to escape. She couldn't call for help from either Gray, Juvia, Erza or Happy and she couldn't summon her Spirits.

Lucy's hand dropped to her waist in defeat. And that's when she felt it... her Fleuve d'etoiles whip. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing.

Dropping Natsu, she reached for her whip and made it extend, wrapping around Fatman's hands.

"What the hell?" Fatman growled, none too pleased that his hands were bound. The whip, being made of energy, burned his arms. He pulled against the restraints. "Do you think that you can stop me with this?" He grunted

With all of her strength, Lucy pulled the whip toward her. She reasoned that if she could just keep Fatman's hands from summoning explosions, then the two of them could stay alive.

"You are only delaying the inevitable, woman." Fatman yelled.

Lucy knew that the obese bomber was right. She couldn't hold him forever.

"I can't let it end like this." She groaned as she held on. "I have to protect Natsu. He has rescued me so many times before. This time, I have to save him."

In her desperation, Lucy felt something warm inside of her. It was strange. This was something she had never felt before. it made her feel powerful.

Fatman, watching from afar, noticed a change in Lucy. Her eyes were closed and a strange aura enveloped her. For a moment, the obese man stopped struggling against the restraints.

"What's going on with Blondie?" He said to himself.

Lucy's body felt tingly as the warm feeling envelop her. Yes. This is it. This is what will save them.

Lucy opened her eyes, which glowed gold with power.

_Oh celestial voyagers, faster and brighter than the gods, rain down and purify this wretched soul. I call upon thee to lead my enemies to their final rest under heaven's menacing glare. Favor this ground for the fulfillment of thy eternal journey._

Lucy raised her right index towards the sky.

**SHOOTING STARS**

The sky darkened, slightly unnerving Fatman. He looked to the sky and saw it. Dozens of meteors were heading towards Fatman. His eyes widened. He struggled fervently against Lucy's whip but he was held firm.

The meteors landed on top of Fatman, crushing him.

Lucy gulped deep breaths. A small grin crept across her face. She did it. She beat the obese bomber. She saved Natsu. Oh, why is the world spinning? She felt faint.

"...cy." She could hear as she passed out.

* * *

"Lucy." Natsu shouted as he got up quickly. As he did so, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. "Ow... dammit." He growled.

He took a moment to look at his surroundings. Natsu was no longer in the forest. Rather, he was in the Fairy Tail infirmary. His torso was covered in bandages. He smelled of antiseptic, the smell of which made him queasy.

"Lucy, where are you?" He whispered to himself.

Natsu looked around for Lucy but didn't find her. He was about to get up and search for her when the infirmary doors opened. Erza and Lucy came inside.

Natsu was overjoyed to see Lucy that he forgot his pain. But then he really looked at her. He saw that Lucy's arm was in a sling and had a bandage on her forehead. He was about to ask if she was okay when...

"How are you doing, Natsu?" She asked in a gentle, almost motherly voice. Lucy beat him to it.

"I'm hungry." Natsu admitted, grinning slightly.

Lucy groaned softly, stifling a smile. That answer was so undeniably Natsu.

Natsu gave Lucy a serious look. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine." Lucy responded.

Natsu looked at Lucy's arm. She noticed.

"Oh this?" She asked. "It was just sprained. No biggie."

Natsu growled. "Where's that bastard?" He was thinking of how much Fatman would pay for hurting Lucy.

Erza took this opportunity to explain what happened. "He was defeated."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "By who?"

Erza smiled, which somewhat made Natsu nervous. "Lucy did."

Natsu didn't even bother trying to hide his surprise. "Really?" He asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes." Erza nodded. "I saw the end of the fight."

"Tell me. I want to know." Natsu asked.

Erza complied. "Well I saw the part where Lucy used her whip to grab the enemy's hands. I ran as hard as I could when I saw it."

Natsu was on the edge of his figurative seat. "What? What happened?" He demanded to know what happened next.

"Well, Lucy cast this amazing spell that made the heavens themselves fall down on the enemy." Erza told him.

Lucy blushed. "It wasn't like that." She explained. "It's just a bit of Stellar Spirit caster magic. I've read about it in books but I never thought I could use it."

"Don't sell yourself short." Erza demanded, scaring Lucy a bit. "I've never seen anything like that. If you learn how to control that, there will be no enemy that can stand against you."

Lucy's blush deepened. She wasn't used to this much praise from anyone, let alone Erza.

Natsu, however, was feeling somber and morose.

Erza noticed the change in the atmosphere. "In any case, I'll see myself out." With that, she turned heel and walked out of the infirmary, leaving Natsu and Lucy alone.

There was a palpable tension in their air. Neither knew what to say or how to say it.

"I'm sorry." Natsu whispered.

Lucy looked at him quizzically. "Why?" She asked.

"I couldn't protect you." He whispered. "I made a promise that I wouldn't let you get hurt again after _that woman_ hurt you in the Grand Magic Games." He bit out the words that woman. It's been more than two years but the anger he felt towards Minerva for hurting Lucy still burned.

"It's alright." Lucy told him.

"No. It's not alright." Natsu growled. "I should have protected you. It's because of me that you are hurt."

Lucy shook her head. "You weren't the one who hurt me." She told him. "Plus you got hurt way worse than me."

Natsu tried to brush off his injuries as insignificant. "This is nothing."

"So is this." Lucy shot back.

"It's not nothing to me." Natsu raised his voice. "I'm suppose to protect you so that you never get hurt."

"Well, I am a mage, Natsu." Lucy yelled. "It's a dangerous job. Sometimes, I'll get hurt. You can't protect me from everything so let go of your damn chauvinistic pride."

Natsu stopped for a moment. "Chauva-what?" He asked, confused.

His confusion defused the tension in the room. Both Natsu and Lucy started to laugh... a deep belly laugh that was both genuine and unexpected. It was the release they both needed.

Lucy sidled up to the reclining Natsu. "Natsu, listen to me. Okay?"

Natsu nodded.

"Natsu, you've done so much for me." She began. "You've always had my back from the beginning. You've always protected me. You've always reminded me of my own strength and helped me stand on my two feet. It's because of you that I am the mage I am today."

Natsu felt a deep sense of pride hearing Lucy's words.

"Regardless of this incident, you will always be my hero, Natsu." She told him with a smile. "But what I don't want you to do is to think of me as some helpless damsel in distress who can't go anywhere without breaking a nail or something. I don't think you realize it but sometimes you make me feel like you need to protect me. I am strong, Natsu. I can take care of myself. And sometimes, I can even protect you."

"Lucy." Natsu whispered, a bit choked up from her speech.

"Let me protect you from time to time." Lucy said to her boyfriend.

With that, she leaned in to kiss Natsu's forehead. However, Natsu gently grabbed her neck and guided her lips to his. It was hot and needy the way their lips melded so effortlessly. Has it really been that many hours since they kissed like this? It was almost like a man dying of thirst who is given a glass of water. He just devoured her.

When the kiss ended, Natsu took a bit of pride at seeing Lucy's flushed face, especially considering the situation.

Lucy smiled down at Natsu. "Get better quickly. I miss having you around."

Natsu watched as Lucy sashayed her way out of the infirmary room.

...

Wait! Did she just sashay? As in swing her hips in a seductive manner? Perhaps he was overthinking this.

But then Lucy turned around and winked at him. Then she left.

Natsu couldn't help the lewd grin on his face. So she _missed_ him. Alright.

Thankfully, Natsu was a fast healer. The pain his torso felt was not as sharp as it was before. So he could probably get out of here before nightfall.

Natsu thought back to all of the times he saved Lucy during their relationship. Whenever he did so, she would be very grateful and showed that gratitude in the bedroom.

Oooh. An idea popped in his head. Natsu licked his lips. He was going to show his hero just how appreciative he was for rescuing him, over and over and over.

Natsu couldn't wait.

* * *

_Word Count: 6469_

**Okay, show of hands. Who thought that Natsu was going to be the one doing the saving? Be honest.**

**Anyways, this chapter came about right after writing C is for Conviction. I wanted to have a chapter where Lucy is the one saving rather than being saved. Hopefully I did it right.**

**In actuality, this chapter was suppose to be H is for Happy. It was a story in which Happy feels like he is being pushed out of Natsu's life the deeper Natsu and Lucy's relationship gets. Natsu would remind him that they were best buddies and nothing would change that. Lucy would remind him of that too. Perhaps that'll be a separate one shot.**

**There is a reference to my other A to Z fic in this chapter. Erza says that she doesn't want anything like Juvia almost dying to happen again. This is a reference to the chapter E is for Existence. And it's one of my best chapter I've written. You shouldn't believe an author's own admission but yeah. I rocked that. So if you are in the mood, check that chapter out. Also there is another reference to Natsu making promise to Lucy that he'd protect her. That comes from my one shot "I Failed to Protect You." That was written in a furious rage but if it interests you, check that out as well.  
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**Anyways, loved it? Hated it? No opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I am always happy to hear back from all of you, especially with things you liked or didn't like about it.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_It is quite a crisis figuring out who Lucy really was. When she was young, she was Lucy Heartfilia, heir to the Heartfilia fortune. She was Lucy, fabulous Stellar Spirit mage and up and coming author. She was Just Lucy of Fairy Tail. Was she any of these people? Was she none of them? Who was she really?_

**This might be a bit hard. What's the I word here?**

**Anyways, it's very late. I'm going to sleep before my daughter wakes up. Expect slower updates on my fics.**

**Much love and chicken grease,**

**A. Angel**


	9. I is for Identity

**It's a new chapter. Yay!  
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**First of all, I really have to thank all of people who are reading the Fairy Tail project, either one of the stories or all three. I am so grateful to all of you. Can you believe that I am a third of the way through the project. This is my 26th chapter in this project. And I am so thankful to everyone who reviews, faves or follows. It really humbles me. Truly.  
**

**Now the reviews.  
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**niners, "Go home and be a family man?" Isn't that what Guile says after he kicks your ass? :p  
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**For all of the reviews about Lucy being the hero, allow me this spiel. If there is one thing about Mashima that doesn't make me happy, it's the fact that he makes Lucy into the damsel in distress sometimes. I mean Lucy has been getting stronger ever since she joined Fairy Tail. And that gets lost in translation sometimes. Where is this woman that defeated an entire dark guild by herself? Where is this woman who took down some of these powerful mages? It angers me at times that her strength gets lost on the wayside. But her getting beat up by Minerva or getting captured by the government. That takes center stage. Dafaq!  
**

**And it doesn't end here. In many fanfics, Lucy is always getting captured. Or Lucy is getting kicked out of Fairy Tail for being weak? Really? Really? I mean, I understand that authors have the right to write whatever they desire. It's their story. But give Lucy her due.  
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**That's why the last chapter came about. I wanted Lucy to stand up on her own and do some saving. And so, I gave her Fatman. (A note. He was ripped off from Metal Gear Solid 2, or as I like to call it, let's get girls playing shooters by having a pretty boy as the protagonist.) He was an enemy that was both strong enough to challenge her but an enemy that she could defeat without outside help from Natsu. And the explosions could knock out Natsu without killing him. (Explosions aren't inherently incendiary so it wasn't like he could devour the explosion.) That's why I gave her the key combos and the Celestial spell. I'm really glad you liked it.  
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**And now to this chapter. Again, it's a Lucy-centric chapter. I guess I like writing from her perspective. She's a much more dynamic character than Natsu. Before anyone says anything, allow me to explain. There are two types of characters: static and dynamic characters. Static characters are the same from beginning to end. There aren't that many changes to their personalities. Dynamic characters change drastically throughout the story. Natsu is more of a static character while Lucy's a dynamic character. (That shouldn't be interpreted as me not liking Natsu. I do. But I like writing about dynamic characters more.)  
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**Finally, the points. I thought that very few people would get it. But you guys and gals are smart. Two points to Fujitezu, FireRaven, niners, phoenixed, jun-shang, vampiremaniac, Sarah, Crimson Mascara, yahiro, luvr4, Ana-san, lovelyanime, nadeshiko, linkwarrior, ajmonkey, iceninja, waterpanda, dragon mann, Phoenixbear, marti36, bystander, cats007, Fairyluver, catwho, fleur-de-lys, and shimmering starlight.  
**

**And now for our feature presentation**

* * *

**I is for Identity**

_We are not born; we become. ~ Tori Spelling_

Lucy looked at herself in the mirror.

This is not an unusual sight. Lucy takes great pride in her appearance. Not in a bad way, of course. She knows that how a person looks can have an influence on how that person feels. The person looking back at her is very attractive. Her blond hair is perfectly done by Cancer, just like always. Her cute face is lightly adorned with make-up (it is a special occasion after wall). The clothes that she's wearing fit her body quite nicely. Yep, she looks good.

Looking at the person in the mirror, Lucy has a odd thought. Who is this person? What is her role? She knows it is her reflection in the mirror but there are times when she doesn't know who she is.

* * *

The woman in the mirror was born Lucy Heartfilia, the daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia. Before she was born, they were two hardworking lower middle class people. He was a traveling merchant trying to find the next big thing. She was a Stellar Spirit independent mage who took jobs during their travels. Although they lived paycheck to paycheck, these two were happy. And they were happily waiting the birth of their daughter. If she had been born before to these people in their situation, perhaps she would have been happier.

Just as soon as Lucy was born, Jude had hit on a great idea, Heartfilia Railways. He micromanaged the entire railway system, from building the trains, the stations, the rails, even the amenities. Doing so, he was able to accumulate huge amounts of riches in a short amount of time. Now, the Heartfilia became upper class.

Jude Heartfilia became the consummate business man, working long days and nights growing his company. As a result, he spent little time with his family. If Lucy was older, she would have understood that running a business takes a lot of work. She would have accepted it as part of providing for his family. However, when she was little, all she saw was that her father was too busy to spend time with her. It hurt her a bit when she was younger, but she always had her mother.

Lucy was a mama's girl. She worshipped the ground that Layla walked on. Her mother was pretty, she was smart, she was nice, and she knew magic. Her mother always had time for Lucy, whether it was to teach her about the magical world, telling Lucy stories about her days as a mage, even playing games with Lucy. Her mother was the best. Layla was the woman that Lucy aspired to be. As long as Lucy had her mother, she could endure anything.

When Lucy's mother died, it felt to her like she stopped being Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia. Instead, she became Lucy Heartfilia, heiress to the Heartfilia fortune. Lucy was given the best education, the best dance instructor, the best music tutor, the best magic instructors, the best etiquette teacher, the best everything. She was groomed to be a proper lady, trained in every area that would make her a good wife. At first, she hated these lessons. She didn't want to take ballet or learn the piano. But after a stern talk from her father, Lucy learned how to hide her true feelings. When it was time for the lessons, she learned to mask her 'self' with a smile.

Her father, after the death of his wife, threw himself into his work. (What Lucy only realized after her father's death was that he worked to forget the pain he felt after her mother died.) He fully invested himself in social climbing, merging company after company into his. And he used anything and everything in his possession to grow the business. So it was with his daughter. Jude knew that Lucy would grow up to be a desirable woman, both physically and financially. That's why he made sure to pay for lessons that would have made the perfect lady. What he never realized was that Lucy started to resent him enough to make a decision that would change their lives forever.

At seventeen, Lucy ran away from home.

When she ran away, she hid her identity from everyone. "Lucy Heartfilia" would cause too much attention. So she became Lucy, Stellar Spirit mage. Although she could have learned any magic in the world, Lucy chose this type of magic because it made her feel closer to her mother.

When Lucy was younger, her mother showed her how wonderful it is to summon Spirits and befriend them. The young girl was mesmerized by the skill that Layla possessed in the summoning arts. Lucy thought she could do it just as flawlessly when she was older.

But Stellar Spirit magic is tricky and not easy to master. For one, the spirits have their own personalities, strengths, weaknesses, even their own schedule. Lucy only knew the basics of magic growing up so she wasn't aware of these things.

She learned very quickly that she couldn't break a promise with a Stellar Spirit. That would both weaken the magic and the bond between them. That is why she didn't treat her Spirits as servants or pawns but as friends. Through mutual respect, Lucy figured that both she and her Spirits would grow stronger. (It would take her many years to realize that her theory was correct.)

The blond also learned that she could only summon these Spirits at the agreed upon time. It's a lesson she learned the hard way. Just like friends have their own lives outside of a friendship, Spirits have a life outside of the summoner. On the first missions that she took, Lucy used Aquarius for just about everything. The water bearer, at first, endured this because of the respect she had for Lucy's mother. But after a while, she got pissed and she showed Lucy the error of her ways. (Lucy would never forget the first time she almost drowned.) It was later explained to her that Lucy was interrupting Aquarius's dates. That's when Lucy realized the importance of Spirits being on a schedule and only summoning them on the days when they are free. (Later, she would come to learn that as a Spirit grows to trust a summoner, the days that they will allow themselves to be summoned increase to the point that she could summon a Spirit any day of the week as long as she gave them some time off as well.)

Finally, she learned that Spirits weren't mindless beings as many people who know of Stellar Spirit magic tend to think. They had personalities and feelings. Just like no two friends are exactly alike, no two Spirits are exactly alike.

For example, Aquarius. She was Lucy's most powerful spirit. But the water bearer had a short fuse and it seemed like all of her anger was always directed at Lucy. And she'd always mocked her for her lack of a boyfriend. However, the Stellar Spirit mage had confidence that Aquarius, somewhere in her heart, liked Lucy. (At least she could hope so.) Next came Taurus. He was strong, loyal and a combat Spirit to boot. But the bull was a pervert. No! Pervert would be putting it lightly. He was a super-ultra-mega-hyper-grande-pervert. He was always making a comment about her breasts. It was a good thing that he was loyal, or else who knows what Taurus would have done to see her naked. And then there was Cancer. He was a very loyal Spirit and a great hairdresser. But as combat goes, he isn't as effective as Aquarius and Taurus. He didn't like to fight and only did so out of obligation to both Lucy and Layla.

With all of these Spirits and their separate personalities, Lucy learned to be patient with them, accepting these quirks as part of who they were. She didn't try to change them much. As long as they followed her command when she summoned them, Lucy was fine with them being who they are.

And so, with her trusty Spirits by her side, Lucy set off on her journey. She became an independent mage, just like her mother was before Lucy was born. She got by on jobs too menial or small to be given to a guild. It was tiring and demeaning work. At first, the blonde took the jobs with gratitude because they gave her both income and experience. But soon after, Lucy desired more.

Lucy wanted better jobs. However, the better jobs go to guilds. So Lucy decided to join a guild. But not just any guild would do for her. It would have to be famous, strong, and loyal. In that aspect, Lucy did extensive research to see what guild would be the best fit for her. During her research, she had come across Fairy Tail. They were always in the news, whether it was about their strong mages or the destruction that they caused. Such a guild would have very good missions, she thought. With that in mind, she focused all of her research on learning about this guild.

The more she learned about Fairy Tail, the more she wanted to join them. They had many famous mages: Titania Erza, the gravure model Mirajane, and one of the ten Wizard Saints Makarov. But what captivated her was the mysterious mage known as Salamander. A fire mage by trade, magazines said that he was a force of nature on the battlefield, an invincible warrior that has never lost a battle. Lucy was intrigued by this Salamander character. She wanted to see what kind of person could inspire the rumors Salamander left in his wake. So Lucy decided that Fairy Tail was the guild for her. However, not even Lucy could have predicted what happened to her next.

It was in Hargeon that Lucy life changed forever.

Lucy was passing through the port city, visiting the local magic shops to see if they had Zodiac keys. She thought that this would be the highlight of her journey. But she ran into a crowd. Curious, she checked it out. Turned out that Salamander was in town, signing demonstrating his magic in front of adoring women. Lucy felt this inexplicable pull to this man. Why she felt this way, the Stellar Spirit mage didn't know. However, that pull was broken by the strangest guy. He had spiky pink hair and a look that screamed flakiness. If someone would have told Lucy at that time that this guy would be the man she would love for the rest of her life, she probably would have laughed.

Ahh, how the wheels of fate move.

This guy, who Lucy now knew was named Natsu, surprised her. After coming to rescue her (and getting seasickness and motion sickness at the same time), this guy, who she thought was totally flaky, proved to be much more than that. He was the true Salamander. The pink haired mage completely trounced the fake Salamander and his crew, destroying half of the port in the process.

As Natsu, Happy, and Lucy were being chased by the army, Natsu offered to take Lucy to Fairy Tail. She agreed. Lucy, now looking back on that day, understood that meeting Natsu was the turning point in her life.

When the guild mark was stamped onto her hand, Lucy became Lucy of Fairy Tail. Her first impression of the guild was chaos. There was nobody in the guild that even came close to the definition of normal. There's one guy stripping and asking her if he could borrow her underwear, another guy surrounded by girls asking her if she wanted to be his girlfriend, another guy shouting about what it means to be manly, a woman showing disdain at the scene while openly drinking out of a keg, Natsu trying to start a fight with everyone, even the barmaid smiling about how fun the guild was with a bloody cut on her forehead. Lucy wondered if she was the only sane person in Fairy Tail. And yet, as soon as she saw this scene, the blonde knew that Fairy Tail was the right fit for her.

Her life before Fairy Tail was one of tight scheduling, perfect order and no deviations. Each day was organized so that the maximum amount of work could be done. Getting up at exactly 7:30, breakfast precisely at 8:00, lessons at 8:30 on the dot, and so on and so on. To Lucy, this schedule was humdrum, predictable and dull. In Fairy Tail, Lucy wasn't tied down by a schedule. She could come and go as she pleased, take whatever missions interested her, team up with whomever she wanted. Basically, she was free to do as she willed in the guild. This was probably insignificant to the people who had been in Fairy Tail longer than she had. However, to Lucy, who was never given the freedom to do anything that wasn't meticulously planned by her father, this was a godsend.

But what made Fairy Tail so great, in Lucy's mind, were the people inside Fairy Tail. Though each one of them had their own personalities that sometimes violently clashed with one another, every member of Fairy Tail was loyal to a fault. This was made manifest to her during the Phantom Lord incident.

Without questioning why, without hesitating, without stopping, each and every member of Fairy Tail fought to save Lucy when she was captured. Lucy couldn't understand. She hadn't been a member of the guild for more than two months and yet they fought tooth and nail for her. It didn't make sense to her. But that's the kind of guild Fairy Tail is. Natsu made that abundantly clear that very night. He came over to her apartment and told her that regardless of who she was before, Lucy was a member of Fairy Tail. Those words still resonated with her to this day. This was what she was looking for her whole life, a place to belong to, a place where she could just be herself. She never forgot those words.

Lucy was a member of Fairy Tail's strongest team. This partnership occurred quite randomly. Erza had requested Natsu and Gray's help to take on the dark guild Eisenward. They agreed to go with her (mostly because it was dangerous not to). Lucy had come at Mira's behest. The barmaid told her that it was to keep Natsu and Gray in line. But that one only part of the reason Lucy went. The Stellar Spirit mage wanted to watch her guildmates in action and see how she compared. Little did she know that she'd get what she asked for and more.

They were powerful. That was Lucy's first thought when she first saw them in action. She already knew of Natsu's strength from before she joined Fairy Tail. Gray was just as strong, utilizing Ice Make magic in all of its frigid glory. And Erza was more powerful than the two of them. With her Re-Quip Knight magic, she decimated all of her enemies.

That's when she was hit with the sad realization. She couldn't compare. Lucy could summon Spirits from another world. But compared to those three, the blonde felt outshined. Still, she did not give up. She liked traveling with Natsu, Gray, Erza and Happy. So she made a resolution. Lucy would work hard to be a mage that could stand on the same plateau as her teammates. And it worked. She defeated Sherry of Lamia Scale, Bixlow during Fantasia, half of the Naked Mummy guild, Angel of Oracion Seis (although the details of that fight were fuzzy), Byro of Edolas, Kain Hikaru of Grimoire Heart and even Hades, former master of Fairy Tail. It was thanks to her team that Lucy became the mage that she always wanted to be.

* * *

Lucy took a minute from thinking to look at her dress. After all, it was a special occasion. It was a new beautiful white silk dress that hugged her every curve just right. It was strapless, showing off her bare shoulders. It was also cut just low enough that it showed just a bit of her ample bosom. There weren't many frills in the dress itself. It was just a very simple design. (Lucy was practical like that.) And if Lucy was really honest with herself, she thought she looked amazing in it.

She was wearing her mother's necklace. It was a sterling silver key with a star-shape end. The necklace was very old. It was the first gift her father gave to her mother, after all. It had such significance to her as it was the only object of her mother's that she still had. It was originally willed to her by her father after his death but, in actuality, it was put in the wrong box and sent to one of her relatives. That relative, an uncle whom Lucy only knew about in passing, used that as an excuse to invite her to his house for a party. Lucy agreed and brought Natsu with her. (At that point, they were dating.) It turned out that the only reason the uncle invited her was to use Lucy for social climbing. But Natsu put an end to that very quickly, telling the uncle that he loved Lucy and that anyone who tried to take her away from him would be crushed into nothing. So in the end, the uncle gave Lucy her mother's necklace and never bothered her again.

On her ankle, which wasn't visible to anyone under her dress, was Levy's orange bandana. This bandana had some significance to Lucy. Right after Lucy's first impromptu mission, the Stellar Spirit mage did her best to make new friends. She found it a bit difficult to talk to the people of Fairy Tail at first (they were quite crazy at time). The first person she talked to was Levy. The petite blue haired mage was reading a book by one of Lucy's favorite authors and wearing the orange bandana on her head. Lucy complimented Levy on her bandana and her taste in authors. They hit it off swimmingly. Besides Natsu and Happy, Levy was her first friend in Fairy Tail. And all of these years later, Levy remembered their first conversation and allowed Lucy to borrow her bandana for her special day.

She looked at her ears. They were adorned with ice blue post earrings. These were actually Juvia's earrings. There was a story behind the earrings. Apparently, during the Grand Magic Games, Juvia was wearing these earrings when Gray had told her that he liked Juvia. She wore those earrings during nearly every significant event in their relationship. Juvia had often said that they were her lucky earrings. And so, for this day, she gave them to Lucy who took them with reverence.

Lucy took another look in the mirror. The Stellar Spirit mage had to admit that she looked good today.

Then, just as a passing thought, Lucy looked at her left hand. On the ring finger was a gold band adorned with a 14 karat diamond. It was a gift from the love of her life a year ago. Looking at that ring reminded her of Natsu and one of her other identities.

Five months after the Grand Magic Games, Lucy became Natsu's girlfriend. Although the way that they became one was rather unorthodox, Lucy, even after all these years, still didn't regret it. Under his wing, the blonde flourished in ways even she didn't realize until now. Lucy became more assertive and somewhat stubborn. Her magic increased as well. She was not only able to summon Stellar Spirits, but also use Celestial caster magic. The blonde was now strong enough to take missions by herself, but she only did so if she needed a reminder of her own strength or if she needed to blow off some steam. And now as she looking back, Natsu changed as well. He became more grounded, less likely to charge into battle without thinking. The pink haired man also slowed down. To Lucy, Natsu was always moving, charging through life as if it was a race. She taught him to slow down and enjoy life. Perhaps it was for that reason that so many of their friends thought that Lucy and Natsu were suited for each other.

But the diamond ring held much more significance to her than just being Natsu's girlfriend. She remembered the day that he gave her the ring.

* * *

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy were having a picnic in the woods near his old house. (It was destroyed when the dark guild Tartarus invaded Magnolia to defeat Fairy Tail. This prompted him to buy a new one inside the town after Tartarus was defeated. Lucy moved in the next day and they started living together.) It was suppose to be a relaxing day, without any responsibilities. They deserved it. Plus Lucy needed to relax. After all, at that point, she was three months pregnant with their child.

Lucy, for all of the happiness she felt about her pregnancy, couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy. There was something she wanted to ask Natsu but she didn't know how to broach the topic. Perhaps it was the hormones, perhaps it was her mind asking what her heart isn't bothered with, but Lucy just wanted to know.

Natsu noticed that Lucy was looking a bit down. "What's wrong, Luce?" He asked.

Lucy faked a smile. "Nothing. I'm fine."

After almost four years of dating and two more years of friendship, Natsu knew when Lucy was trying to mask her emotions. "Lucy." He asked gently, knowing that his girlfriend was prone to mood swings due to her pregnancy. "You can tell me anything. I won't judge."

Lucy sighed and dropped the fake smile. "It's nothing really."

"Lucy." Natsu's tone was a little more stern.

Lucy knew that there was no way out of the conversation.

"Natsu, have you ever thought about the future?" She began.

"Of course I have." Natsu told her. "I mean, we're having a baby. We are going to be a mom and dad to a baby."

Lucy put her hands on her somewhat protruding stomach. She smiled. "Yes. Yes we are."

Natsu smiled and put his hand on her belly. "And I am so grateful to get this chance."

Lucy had to smile. Natsu had a way of putting her at ease. However, there was one other thing she needed to know. Taking this opportunity, the blonde took her lover's hand into her own.

"Natsu, how do you feel about being married?" Lucy whispered.

Natsu gave his lover a curious look. "Why are you asking?"

Lucy sighed. She felt like she was pushing something she shouldn't push. But Lucy had to know where their relationship was heading. "Well, Gray and Juvia are married and so are Gajeel and Levy."

Natsu took a thoughtful breath, running a shaky hand though his pink looks. He then looked at his friend, Happy, and nodded. Happy nodded back and flew away, leaving the couple by themselves.

"Well, they are them and we are us." Natsu told Lucy. "You shouldn't compare us to them."

"I'm not." Lucy quickly shot out. "I'm just saying."

Natsu closed his eyes. In situations like these, he would normally say what's on his mind, regardless of the consequences. Sometimes, he'd hit the nail on the head. Other times, he would miss completely and wind up on the couch. However, the Dragon Slayer knew that this isn't one of those times, If he said the wrong thing, it could severely damage their relationship, probably to the point where they wouldn't be together anymore. And after enduring that month where he and Lucy weren't together, Natsu didn't want to take that chance. So this time, he chose his words carefully.

"Lucy, what is the real problem?" He asked carefully.

"The real problem?" Lucy responded.

Damn, Natsu thought. He didn't expect his question to be thrown back at him. Okay, time to choose some more words carefully. "Why do you want to get married?" He asked.

Lucy was quiet for a moment. Then...

"Well, I always thought I'd be married and have children when I was little." She reminisced wistfully. "When I was little, my mom always told me that I would find the person I was meant for. I'd fall in love, get married and be a mother just like she was."

Natsu honestly didn't know what to say to that. When he was a kid, he didn't think about falling in love or getting married. Certainly, he didn't think about having kids. It's just something that never passed his mind when he was young. When he was a kid, all of his focus was in becoming the strongest mage ever, which included finally defeating Gildarts in battle. But now that he's older... In any case, what should he say to Lucy?

"Are you regretting having a baby with me without getting married?" Natsu asked softly. As soon as the words left his mouth, Natsu wanted to punch himself. That wasn't what he wanted to ask Lucy. Stupid, stupid. Now Lucy is going to feel guilty. Or worse, she just might leave him.

Lucy's eyes widened. "No!" She shouted. "No, I don't regret anything with you."

Natsu breathed a surreptitious sigh of relief. "Then what is it?"

Lucy bowed her head. "It feels silly now. But I've been thinking how our relationship isn't normal. We had sex before we were even a couple. We are having a baby before we are married. I just thought that if we were married, we could raise our baby as a real family." The last part came out as a whisper.

Natsu put a gentle finger on her lips. "Does it really matter to you that we don't follow what other people consider normal?"

Lucy shook her head.

"Who cares what other people think?" Natsu asked. "I know that I love you and you love me. So what if we had sex before we were even a couple? So what if we are having a baby we are married? It's our relationship, not those people."

Lucy had to smile. It was just like Natsu to put her at ease.

"And, just to answer your earlier question, I have thought about marriage." Natsu told her. "I would like us to be married. But to me, as long as I am with you, then whether or not we are married isn't important. And we can still raise our baby as a family, even if we aren't married."

Lucy abruptly hugged Natsu, who received it very eagerly. The blonde understood that titles such as husband and wife didn't really matter to him. He was a person who focused on the here and now. And he also didn't care what other people thought about the way he handled his relationship. He loved Lucy with all of his being. And that was enough for Lucy.

Perhaps it wasn't important that they got married right away. Being married wasn't going to change Lucy's feelings for Natsu or vice versa. They were fine just the way they are.

"Thank you, Natsu." Lucy whispered into his ear. "For everything."

Lucy cupped Natsu's cheeks and kissed him with all she had. The Dragon Slayer kissed back just as passionately.

After the kiss, Natsu touched Lucy's forehead with his own. Oh how much she loved when Natsu kissed her. Like anything he did, the pink-haired man put everything he had into his kiss. His kisses always made her melt.

"Now that we got settled, there's something I want to show you." Natsu whispered.

"What is it?" Lucy asked, still dazed from the kiss.

Natsu didn't say. Instead he stood up. "Happy!" He shouted.

Happy came back, floating above Lucy. "Aye." He said as he lifted his paw.

"I'm ready." Natsu grinned. "Be gentle with Lucy."

"Ayesir." Happy agreed and gently grabbed Lucy by her shoulders.

"Wait. What are you doing?" Lucy protested as she struggled against Happy.

Happy ignored Lucy's protests and lifted her in the air.

"Happy. Let me go." The Stellar Spirit mage whined.

The Exceed, with Lucy in tow, flew higher than the tree canopy. "Just wait, Lucy." Happy told her.

Lucy stopped struggling. She waited for whatever was going to happen.

And she didn't have to wait long. Immediately, she smelled smoke. Lucy looked down and saw something she knew she'd never forget for the rest of her life.

There was a fire in the treetops. But the fire was only spreading in a specific way. It looked like it was writing something. In fact, the fire spelled out something like words. No. They _were_ words.

**MARRY ME, LUCY HEARTFILIA.**

Lucy's eyes widened. This was very reminiscent of that one time, five months into their relationship where Natsu had burned half the forest to spell out a message for her. She was flabbergasted. Is this real? Was Natsu proposing to her? Lucy felt tears streaming down her face.

"Do you like it?" Happy asked.

Lucy openly wept happy tears.

Happy started to float downward, making sure to be extra careful because of Lucy's condition. The blue Exceed guided his friends towards Natsu. The Dragon Slayer was waiting for them with a velvet box. As soon as Happy felt Lucy's feet touch the ground, he let her go to Natsu. After that, Happy flew away, leaving his friends in their private moment.

"Natsu..." Lucy gasped, the words she wanted to say caught in her throat.

Natsu grinned. "I had actually planned to do this some time later. But since you brought up the topic today, I figured that now would be the perfect time to propose."

Lucy walked over to Natsu. "Natsu..."

"So how 'bout it?" Natus asked. "Will you marry me?"

Lucy punched Natsu on top of his head.

"Are you for real?" Lucy growled. "Did you really just do that? Make me worry about getting married and then you propose? Really?"

Natsu groaned in pain, rubbing his head. "Should I take that as a maybe?"

Lucy hugged Natsu. "It's a yes, you idiot."

Lucy remembered that the master yelled at Natsu for burning the forest again. But that quickly ended when he noticed the ring on her finger. Oh that memory made her so happy.

* * *

She looked at herself in the mirror again. Lucy was wearing something old (her mother's necklace), something new (her wedding dress), something borrowed (Levy's bandana) and something blue (Juvia's earrings). It was Lucy's big day. She was going to be married, married to Natsu Dragneel. And she couldn't be happier.

Lucy heard a knock on the door. "Come in." She said.

The door opened. "Wow, Lucy. You look incredible."

Lucy turned around to see her friend Erza in the doorway. She was dressed in a form-fitting red dress. Like all of her clothes, the Knight looked good in it. The Stellar Spirit mage smiled. "Thank you, Erza. You look great too."

"Not as great as you." Erza smiled. "It is my honor to serve as your maid of honor."

Yes, Erza Scarlet was Lucy's maid of honor. Lucy had actually wanted Levy to be her maid of honor. But the Solid Script mage had declined. And so, Erza had made herself Lucy's maid of honor. And no one argued with Erza.

"Are you ready?" Erza asked. "It's time."

"Yes. I'm ready." Lucy smiled.

Erza led Lucy out of the room.

* * *

The wedding was taken place in the Fairy Tail guild. There were many chairs filled with many of their friends and guildmates. As she walked down the aisle, Lucy saw members of Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale. Sitting together was Sherry and Ren Akatsuki, They were married a year after the Grand Magic Games.

She saw many of her guildmates in the next rows, faces that she knew but couldn't place a name. And yet, she'd still put her life on the line to make sure that they were safe just as the guild had once put their lives on the line to save her those many years ago.

Many other guildmates that she did know were in nearer rows. She saw Cana with her newest boyfriend, Laxus and the Raijinshu (minus Evergreen), Macao and Wakaba (who were dramatically weeping over the fact that another Fairy Tail beauty was now off the market), Romeo and Wendy whose relationship had gotten rather serious as of late, and many others.

Lucy spotted Levy and Gajeel Redfox who had been married for two years. They were sitting in one of the aisle closest to the makeshift altar. In their arms were the newest additions to the Redfox family, four month old Mamoru and Reimi Redfox. Gajeel was currently sleeping with his daughter securely in his arms while Levy was breastfeeding her son. Lucy had to smile. She understood that taking care of a baby is tiring work. Caring for twins was probably doubly hard. So Lucy bore Gajeel no ill will for sleeping at her wedding.

The next couple she saw was Juvia and Gray Fullbuster. They were married for a little more than a year and a half. In Gray's arms was their daughter, ten month old Uriel Niji Fullbuster. They adored their baby girl. Rainbow, as the guild affectionately called her, was the light of their lives. Little Uriel has learned to crawl, which got her into all sorts of shenanigans. And yet, neither Gray or Juvia would have it any other way.

Lucy saw her Stellar Spirits in the front rows. The Spirit King had allowed all of them to open their gate for this occasion. Taurus was crying because, in his words, "Lucy's nice body belonged to Natsu". Virgo looked stoic but Lucy could see the slight smile on the maiden's face. Capricorn's eyes were hidden from Lucy's sight but he did sport a smile and a respectful bow. Loke and Aries were sitting together, happy for their friend. Hell, even Aquarius was smiling for Lucy and that's saying something.

Also in the front seats were the Strauss Siblings, Lisanna, Mirajane and Elfman. Elfman was sitting next to his girlfriend, Evergreen. Although she looked disinterested, the female member of the Raijinshu was happy for Lucy. And if Lucy believed Mira (which she did wholeheartedly), it wouldn't be long until Elfman pops the question. Lisanna was recording the wedding with a lacrima for the happy couple. It was her honor to do so. And in Mira's capable arms was Lucy's pride and joy.

Oh yeah, Lucy had another identity, one that was more precious to her than most. She was the mother of Igneous Jude Dragneel, the son created from hers and Natsu's love. He was named after both Natsu and Lucy's fathers. (At first, Lucy was against Natsu naming their son being named after a dragon but when he had explained how much Igneel meant to Natsu, Lucy compromised. When the child was born, Lucy gave him the name Igneous, which has the same root word as Igneel, and gave him the middle name of Jude after her father as a sign that she had made her peace with him.) As soon as her little bundle of joy was born, Lucy felt an immediate connection to him. Perhaps that was what they called maternal bonding.

Little Iggy, as he was affectionately called, was liked like a mini-Natsu in every way, from his tuft of pink hair, his obsidian eyes, and even a mischievous smile that reminded Lucy of his father. He was also a very restless baby. He refused to sleep when it was time to sleep. He would cry loudly if his needs weren't met. And he would throw up on almost anyone who held him that wasn't Natsu or herself. (Strangely enough, Happy was the only one who escaped the wrath of vomiting Iggy.) There were days when she was exhausted from taking care of her son. There were days when she wondered why she had a child now rather than waiting until they were older. But all of those things were pushed out of her mind when she saw her baby boy sleep peacefully or when he smiled. THAT made everything all worthwhile.

Lucy caressed Iggy's soft and chubby six month old cheek with a delicate hand. The infant was sucking on a pacifier and regarded his mother with a curious look.

"Look Iggy." Mira whispered into the child's ear. "Doesn't mommy look pretty?"

"Hey Iggy." Lucy whispered to her son. "Mommy loves you."

The infant giggled at his mother's soft words. Yep, that smile made everything all worthwhile.

Mira smiled at Lucy, who nodded back. It was time. Lucy left Iggy in Mira's arms and proceeded with the ceremony.

Lucy completed her journey to the altar where the love of her life was waiting for her. Besides Natsu was Erza, Lucy's maid of honor, and Jellal in his Mystogan disguise. He acted as Natsu's best man. (Natsu actually wanted Happy to be his best man in order to stick it to Gray who chose Lyon to be his best man over him. However, Erza had asked if Jellal could be Natsu's best man. Natsu agreed on one condition, that she'd fight him one on one. Needless to say, it was very one-sided. And so, Jellal was Natsu's best man.) Happy was floating next to Natsu, being the ringbearer. Lucy had to admit that the blue Exceed looked good in a red bowtie. Master Makarov would be performing the ceremony. Both Natsu and Lucy considered it an honor for him to do so.

Natsu immediately grabbed Lucy's hands. "Wow." He said breathlessly. "You look, I mean, you are..., Hi."

Lucy giggled. Apparently, the sight of her in her wedding dress short circuited Natsu's brain.

Lucy did some admiring herself. Natsu always cleaned up nice when he wanted to but now, dressed in a black tux, his hair a controlled mess of pink spikes and his precious scarf wrapped around his neck, the Fire Dragon Slayer was a knockout.

"You look really handsome, Natsu." Lucy whispered in Natsu's ear.

"Well, you look really beautiful in that dress." Natsu whispered back. "It's a shame though."

Lucy pulled away, a confused look on her face. "A shame? Why?"

"Because this is the only time you'll ever wear a wedding dress." Natsu smiled. "No one else will have the privilege to be married to you."

Lucy's eyes glimmered with tears. "Natsu..." She smiled

"Although, we could get married again and again so I can see you in that dress over and over." He said with a toothy grin.

Lucy playfully slapped his arm. It was just like Natsu to say something like that.

As Master Makarov performed the ceremony, Lucy thought back on the person she was before this day. Who was she? Was she just Lucy Heartfilia, the daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia? Was she just Lucy Heartfilia, the heiress of the Heartfilia fortune? Was she just Lucy, Stellar Spirit mage? Was she just Lucy of Fairy Tail? Was she just Lucy of Fairy Tail's strongest team? Was she just Natsu Dragneel's lover? Was she just the mother Iggy? Was she any of these people? Was she all of these people? Who was she exactly?

And that's when it hit Lucy. She was all of these people. These were just facets of herself. She shouldn't be hung up on identity or roles. She should just live her life and incorporate these roles as they come.

And so, the end of the ceremony came. Makarov had told Natsu to kiss the bride and make their marriage official. And Natsu did so, with gusto I might add. Lucy was also a willing participant to this, making out longer than was necessary.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... Natsu and Lucy Dragneel." Makarov shouted with a smile.

A loud cheer erupted from the guild, congratulating the new couple.

Lucy smiled at the master's proclamation. "Lucy Dragneel, huh?" She thought to herself. "Another identity. Now, that has a nice ring to it."

* * *

_Word Count: 6719_

**And that's the end of this chapter. (Obligatory flick of scarf)**

**Well allow me to explain this chapter. For those who've read chapter 8 of my GaLe fic, I used Gajeel's hands as a way of tracking his evolution. And, I did the same thing with Lucy and her identity. I tracked her evolution through the identities that she's borne. I thought it would be a fun way to do so. And it was the perfect set-up for the wedding.**

**For those who have read my chapter six of my Gruvia fic or chapter 8 of my GaLe fic, allow me to explain. Uriel's name means Light of God. It was the name I wanted to give to their child because, one it contains Ur's name and it represents how their relationship is to me. And Niji means rainbow in Japanese. I promise to explain it in the Gruvia fic. Mamoru means "to protect" in Japanese and Reimi means "beautiful soul" in Japanese. And finally, Igneous is a type of rock that forms under intense heat and pressure. Plus it contains the same root word as Igneel.**

**So, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you. Now here is the prompt for the next chapter.**

_Natsu is a very happy person. Whether it was fighting strong opponents, hanging out in the guild and being with his friend, Natsu always had a smile on his face. But he saw something that made him feel... well, not so happy. And he didn't like it at all._

**Now this J word will be difficult because it isn't a word that people normally use. Any guesses?**

**Anyways, till next time.**

**A. Angel**


	10. J is for Jovial

**Z0MG. Is it a chapter update? Yes, yes it is. Chapter get.  
**

**Sorry this is late. For those who read my Gruvia fic, you know that I was hit with the flu. Well to add insult to injury, I also had food poisoning and had to go to the hospital to get my stomach pumped. I was there for a day and when I came home, I had no drive to do anything. But now I'm recovering. So that means a new chapter.  
**

**Enough of my pains. Let's get to the reviews.  
**

**BluieLove Phoenixdragon, PhoenixBear, lurv4, Natsu doesn't strike me as the kind of person who gets caught up in details. Being purposely romantic, to me, doesn't seem like his style. It's why I had him proposing the way he did.  
**

**Phoenixbear, thorn, I did say that the last chapter was going to be Lucy-centric, to focus on her growth throughout the series. It was why I chose her wedding to do that, to show where she started to the moment she ended up at the altar. Though, I didn't mean to sideline Natsu. It was unintentional. And Phoenixbear, the reason why the ceremony itself is light is because one, the chapter was getting too long. Two, I think we all know the 'do you take' blah blah blah part, making it unnecessary to write about it. Three, to do the ceremony would have taken away from the purpose of tracking Lucy's identity. Now, am I going to write the wedding ceremony or write it from Natsu's perspective? Probably not. But hey, if you win the contest, you can request it and I'll do it. Gladly!  
**

**And kudos to Phoenixbear and Pokemon guy for picking up on the subtle clue I left in the proposal scene. I tried to sneak it in there but you caught it. Good job. Six points to the two of you. For those who missed it, I made a reference to my Gruvia fic, C is for Competitive. It's about a Valentine's Day contest to see who could be the most romantic. Before you ask, yes I will write about Natsu's entry for the contest. I've already picked out the perfect letter for that.  
**

**Anyways, onto this story. I'm really proud of this one. You see, the more I developed it in my head, the more I liked it. I won't give it away but I hope you like it.  
**

**Finally, a point to Shimmer, VampireManiac and man man for being close to the word. 17 points for Catwho and BlackIris for getting it right.**

* * *

**J is for Jovial**

_Happiness is spending time with the ones you love._

**NNNNAAAATTTTSSSSUUUU!**

A loud bellow echoed throughout Magnolia, causing the foundation of houses to shake. Such a piercing cry so early in the morning meant only one thing... someone in Fairy Tail was responsible.

The owner of the bellowed name was running for his life. His partner in crime was flying beside him. They knew that if they were caught by the owner of that voice, they were dead. So they ran to save their own hides.

With all of their might, they ran, cognizant of the threat that was chasing them. Behind them, the two criminals could hear a stampede of footsteps coming towards them. It was getting closer. So they kicked it into high gear. If they could make it to sanctuary, they were home free. In fact, they could see the doors to their safe haven now. Just a little more...

Natsu and Happy busted through the doors of the Fairy Tail guild. Most of the guild members ignored the duo as this is how they always acted. Almost immediately after, they climbed up one of the pillars and hid on top of the rafters. They had to stifle their giggles or else it would give them away.

"Where is he?" The voice chasing after them roared.

Everyone's attention was drawn towards the door. Not surprisingly, it was Lucy. What was surprising was the choice of attire that Lucy wore. Normally, the blonde wore the latest in fashion, you know the haute couture and stuff. But today, well...

"Hey Lucy, why are you wearing Natsu's clothes?" Someone in the guild asked.

Yes, Lucy was dressed in Natsu's black waistcoat and white trousers (however, Lucy looked like she was swimming in them). The main difference is that while Natsu wore his waistcoat shirtless, Lucy opted for a yellow bikini top underneath. Still the question remained. Why WAS Lucy wearing Natsu's clothes?

"Were you guys having sex or something?" Another asked.

Hearing this question, Lucy started fuming. It was a horrifying sight to see. Channeling her inner Erza, the blonde emanated an aura of absolute terror, sending chills down her guildmates' spines. There were no more questions after that.

"When I get my hands on those two, I will rip them limb from limb." Lucy bellowed. "I'll teach them not to steal my entire wardrobe."

Above her, the Stellar Spirit mage heard the sound of muffled chortling. She looked up and saw Natsu and Happy on the rafters.

"I found you." She yelled.

Happy turned to Natsu. "Natsu, are we going to be safe up here?" He asked.

Natsu smiled childishly. "Sure we are. Lucy can't climb up this high."

Lucy smirked devilishly. She reached behind her back and pulled out her whip. When she did, the color drained from their faces.

"We didn't take Lucy's whip." Happy chirped nervously.

"That's okay. I don't think it can reach this high." Natsu responded in the same intonation.

Normally, that would be true if it were her old whip. However, the whip she had in her hands was her Fleuve d'etoiles, a whip that can extend as far as her magic allowed. She poured some of her magic into the whip to extend its length. With a mighty windup, she launch the magical whip towards the rafters. In an instant, it wrapped around Natsu's neck. Effectively, the Fire Dragon Slayer was captured.

"Happy, save yourself." Natsu choked out as he was pulled down by Lucy's tremendous strength, hitting the floor at breakneck speeds.

The blue Exceed started crying sloppy, melodramatic tears. "Natsu, you gave up your own life to save mine." He cried. "I won't let your sacrifice be in vain."

Happy spread his wings and flew out the guild, leaving Natsu alone to suffer Lucy's wrath.

Natsu was now lying on the floor in pain with a furious Lucy standing over him. The whip was still around his neck. The blonde was slowly tightening it. The Dragon Slayer chuckled nervously. "Hey, Lucy." It was a weak retort but what else did he have?

"Natsu." The blonde grounded out in her most terrifying voice. "Where did you hide my clothes?"

The pink haired mage put up his hands to placate his teammate. "Would you believe that they are still in your apartment?" He laughed uneasily.

The Stellar Spirit mage tightened the noose made by the whip. Natsu made more choking sounds.

"Try again." Lucy told him in her most threatening voice.

"It's the truth." The Fire Dragon Slayer's voice was strained due to the tightening of Lucy's whip around his neck.

"Liar." Lucy roared and proceed to strangle her teammate, soon to be former teammate.

Natsu was able to remove the whip around his neck and started running. Lucy gave chase around the guild. Everyone in the guild started laughing at their antics.

The doors to the guild opened. When the members of Fairy Tail (minus Natsu and Lucy) saw who was there, the laughing stopped.

It was Fairy Tail's Titania, Erza Scarlet.

Erza viewed at the scene before her. To everyone that saw, it looked like she was going to stop them violently. Instead, the Knight calmly walked over to the bar without a word.

Mirajane Strauss was currently working behind the bar. She prepared a plate of strawberry cake for Erza.

"Here you go, Erza." Mira said with a smile on her face.

"Ahh, thank you Mira." Erza said gratefully.

The two then turned their attention towards the center of the guild where Lucy continued her chase after Natsu.

"You know Erza," Mira began. "I thought that you would have stopped these two when you got in."

Erza gave her friend a slanted smirk. "No." The red headed woman said simply. "This is just part of the shameless way that they flirt with each other."

Mira smiled warmly. "I agree." She said as Lucy started choking the life out of Natsu. "Natsu is acting like a schoolboy, pulling the pigtails of the girl he likes."

"And Lucy is acting like the schoolgirl who's too shy to answer back." Erza responded as Natsu turned from red to purple to blue.

Natsu feigned unconsciousness to get Lucy to stop choking him. Apparently he did a good job because she let go of him. When she did, the Fire Dragon Slayer made a mad rush for the door.

"Dammit, Natsu. Tell me where you hid my clothes." Lucy shouted as she made chase after him.

* * *

Natsu, Happy and Lucy were fishing by the lake near Natsu's house. By this time, all of Natsu's transgressions were forgiven. Now they were back to being friends again, laughing at the events that had transpired.

So what did Natsu do to Lucy to incur her wrath? Well, supposedly he and Happy had broken into her apartment and stole her clothes from her closet while she was in the shower. In actuality, they did something else.

"So what did you do with my clothes?" Lucy asked. (She was glad that she found some of Natsu's clothes under her bed. Though why it was there, she didn't know.)

"You see, we had Reedus paint a magic portrait of your closet without anything in it so that if you looked inside it, it's like walking in an empty closet." Natsu explained. "Then we put the portrait over your closet so that it looked like there was nothing there."

Lucy laughed quietly. "So all my clothes are still in my closet?" She asked.

Natsu smiled childishly. "Of course. After we are done here, I'll remove the painting from your closet. Now we are even."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Even?" She asked.

"Yeah. This is revenge for drawing on mine and Happy's face with a Sharpie." Natsu answered.

Lucy laughed sheepishly, scratching her face in embarrassment. "Okay. We're even."

The two of them shared a good laugh together. Then they turned back to fishing.

Now, many people would say that Natsu is a very jovial person. He's the kind of guy that people like to be around. He has an infectious smile, the kind of smile that makes others smile as well. Natsu is also a person who is rarely down or depressed. Whether it is sparring with his fellow guild members, going on missions, or even hanging out and fishing, Natsu always had a smile on his face. As a result, the Fire Dragon Slayer is one of Fairy Tail's prominent mood makers. And it is because of this attitude that Natsu has many friends.

The pink-haired mage turned to his blonde friend and regarded her curiously. She was talking about something but Natsu wasn't really listening. He was thinking about her. It was odd. It felt like something was changing in their friendship. Well, allow me to explain.

Natsu has many friends, each in their own category: friends in other guilds, friends in his guild, friends he grew up with and so on. Lucy used to be in one of those spheres. But now it was feeling like she was slowly getting her own sphere and he didn't know why. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, just odd.

"Did you hear me, Natsu?" Lucy asked.

Natsu was snapped out of his musing. "Huh." He gasped.

"Natsu." Lucy sighed. "Were you even listening to me?"

Natsu wasn't. But he didn't want to seem insensitive. "Uhh, yeah Lucy." The pink-haired mage answered. "I think it's a good idea."

Lucy's face beamed. "Really? You really think so?"

Natsu had no idea what he just agreed to. He had wanted to ask what Lucy was talking about but the Dragon Slayer didn't want to anger his teammate when he admitted that he wasn't listening. (And she's been getting strong as of late. His neck could testify to that.)

"Of course." He smiled. "I'll support you in whatever you do."

Lucy's smile grew wider. "Thank you, Natsu."

Natsu nodded surreptitiously. He knew he said the right thing. He just wished he knew what he just agreed to.

Lucy's line tightened. "Ohh, I got a bite." She yelled.

Natsu and Happy perked up. "Lucy's got a bite." They repeated.

Lucy struggled and strained as she tried to haul in her catch. Natsu and Happy cheered her on. With one mighty pull, Lucy hauled in her catch. When she saw what it was, her jaw dropped.

"It's a tire." Happy said joyfully.

"Eh?" Lucy blanched.

Natsu and Happy laughed. After a moment, Lucy joined them. It was just another fun day with friends.

* * *

The next day, Natsu and Happy were making their way towards Lucy's place. The Dragon Slayer was eager about taking a mission with her. He could just imagine the fun that they could have on a mission.

"There's Lucy's window." Happy shouted.

Natsu smiled at his Exceed partner. "I'll go get Lucy." He said.

With a great leap, Natsu landed perfectly on Lucy's windowsill. "Lucy." Natsu called out to his friend. "Let's go on a mission."

But no one answered. Natsu looked around and saw that Lucy's place was empty.

"She's not here." Natsu murmured.

It was odd. Lucy was just about finished getting dressed around this time. So why wasn't she here?

"Maybe she's already at the guild." He thought to himself.

Natsu jumped down from Lucy's windowsill and made a perfect ten-point landing on the ground.

"Where's Lucy?" Happy asked.

"She's not home." Natsu responded. "Maybe she's at the guild."

"Okay, let's go there." Happy replied.

The two of them set off for Fairy Tail.

* * *

Opening the grand doors to the guild, Natsu and Happy looked around for their teammate. Sure enough, Lucy was there, talking to Mira.

"Lucy!" The duo shouted joyfully.

Lucy turned her attention from the barmaid to greet her teammates. "Oh, hey Natsu, Happy." She smiled and waved. With that, she went back to her conversation with Mira.

Natsu and Happy ran towards Lucy, delighted to see their friend.

"Hey, Lucy." Natsu said cheerfully. "Let's go on a mission."

Lucy gave Natsu an odd look. She was frowning and her brow was wrinkled like she was confused by the question.

Natsu cocked his head. "What?" He asked. Now he was confused.

"Did you forget?" Lucy queried.

"Forget what?" Natsu was getting more confused. What was Lucy talking about?

"I told you yesterday that I was going on a solo mission today." Lucy told him.

"That's what she was talking about yesterday?" He thought to himself. How could he have not heard this conversation?

Lucy, unaware of Natsu's inner thoughts, explained why she was going on a solo mission. "Natsu, I really want to go on this mission by myself."

"Why, Lucy?" Natsu asked. "Is this because of yesterday?"

Lucy smiled softly. "No, this isn't because of yesterday. I've been thinking about this for a long time."

Natsu sighed. "It's no fun going on missions by yourself."

"I know." Lucy agreed. "I'm not doing this to have fun. I'm doing this because I want to prove that I can do missions by myself. I want to prove to myself that I am strong."

"Lucy..." Natsu sighed. Why does Lucy always put herself down? Why can't she see that she is strong. "You are strong."

Lucy put her hand on Natsu's. "Thank you, Natsu, for believing in me. But I feel that taking a solo mission is the best way to prove it to myself."

Natsu felt down but he couldn't understand why. Lucy wanted to better herself, to get stronger. The best way to get stronger is to take on missions by one's self. So why didn't he like it?

"You don't have to worry about me, Natsu." Lucy told him. "This is an easy mission. It's an escort mission. Nothing too serious. I'll be back in two days."

Natsu looked deeply into Lucy's eyes. Those chocolate brown orbs were shining so brightly that the Dragon Slayer found himself tongue-tied. He also felt something tugging inside of him, something that Natsu had never felt before. He couldn't explain it. But the fire mage knew that he could not refuse her anything when she did that. "Okay." He exhaled.

Lucy smiled brightly. "Thank you." She told her partner. The blonde drew him into a big hug.

When Lucy pressed her body against his, Natsu's face flushed. He didn't understand why. He had been the recipient of her hugs before and he'd never felt like this. So why now?

Lucy let him go, leaving Natsu oddly bereft of her warmth. "I've already packed my stuff." She told him. "I'm leaving right now. You want to see me off?"

Natsu didn't even bother trying to hide his frown. It was odd. Lucy was going on a mission, an easy one at that. So why did it feel like he was saying goodbye?

"Alright." Natsu said without emotion.

Lucy smiled. "Okay. Let's go." She said, adding a fist pump in the air.

"Let's go." Natsu repeated without the same enthusiasm.

* * *

Natsu and Happy escorted Lucy to the train station. There was a metaphorical cloud over the Dragon Slayer and the blue Exceed while the Stellar Spirit mage was just a ray of sunshine. The blonde noticed that it was really quiet, which didn't make sense to her given that her two teammates were some of the loudest people in Fairy Tail.

"Natsu, Happy, what's wrong?" Lucy asked.

Happy flew towards Lucy and nuzzled her cheek. "This is the first mission that you're taking without us, Lucy." He said forlornly, tears in his eyes. "Is it because you are mad at us about yesterday? Because if it is, then we're sorry."

Lucy petted Happy's head with a small smile. "No. Me going on a solo mission has nothing to do with yesterday. I have been planning this for a while now. This is just something I feel I have to do."

"Lucy." Happy cried. "Does this mean that you aren't going to be partners with us anymore?"

The Stellar Spirit mage was starting to feel bad. She had no idea that her going on a solo mission was going to be a big production. "No, we are still a team." Lucy tried to console her furry partner.

"Lucy, don't leave." The blue Exceed continued to cry.

"Happy." Natsu said in an even tone, startling his friend. He had never used that tone with him. "Lucy has decided to do this by herself. We need to let her."

Happy turned to Natsu. "Natsu." He trailed off. Then he floated towards his friend.

Lucy looked at her pink-haired partner, the light in her eyes fading. "Natsu, are you mad?" She whispered.

Natsu shook his head. "No." He said softly, which was very unusual for the Dragon Slayer. It was almost as if this was difficult for him to say. "If this is the way that you can get stronger, then I want to support you."

Lucy exhaled and smiled. "Thank you, Natsu."

An announcement for Lucy's train blared over the intercom.

"Well, that's my train." Lucy told him, an unusual sadness taking hold of her. Unbidden tears started welling in her eyes.

"Okay, Lucy." Natsu whispered. "Stay safe."

Lucy nodded and headed off before she could turn back. She boarded the train, leaving a cheerless Natsu and Happy in her wake.

The two of them watched the train chug along the tracks until it was out of sight. Without out a word, Natsu and Happy headed back towards the guild.

* * *

Natsu was drinking at the Fairy Tail bar. To many around him, it looked like the world collapsed on him. Happy was the same. He was eating a fish without his usual gusto. No one would have believe that this was the same Natsu and Happy that came in here this morning.

Mira watched as Natsu downed one drink after another. She didn't stop him from doing so. This was his way of dealing with his partner not being with him.

Mira could count on one hand the times when Natsu was depressed. There was the time when Lisanna was thought dead. He was distraught for over a month. Then there was the time when Levy was attacked by Gajeel and Phantom Lord. There was a fleeting amount of depression then action. When Natsu, Lucy and Happy went to her father's grave, the Dragon Slayer felt bad for Lucy and walked around like there was a weight on his shoulder.

But Mira could see that this was different.

"Natsu." Mira whispered.

"I don't know why I'm sad, Mira." Natsu admitted. "I understand why she's doing this. I want to support her in this. So why do I feel this way? Am I being selfish?"

Mira knew exactly why Natsu was feeling like this. But she wasn't going to meddle. No! After her hand in the disaster concerning Levy and Gajeel, the white haired woman wasn't going to meddle. Plus, at this point, this was something that her pink-haired friend needed to find out for himself. But that didn't mean that she couldn't give Natsu a gentle guiding hand to discover his feelings.

"Natsu, you just miss Lucy." She told him gently. "You miss your friend."

"But I just saw her off, Mira." Natsu responded. "She hasn't been gone even an hour."

"Well, this is her first mission by herself." Mira told him. "You've been a team since Lucy joined Fairy Tail. You two have rarely been apart."

"But she's done stuff without me." Natsu told Mira. "I mean she's gone to visit her parents in the cemetery."

"But not a mission." Mira countered. "She's never done a mission without you and Happy."

Natsu had a pensive look on his face. "Is that why I'm feeling like this?"

Mira wanted to tell him the truth. She wanted to shout it in his ear until she was hoarse. But she couldn't. She couldn't get involved. "You'll understand." Mira told him in a motherly tone. "Just think about it, okay."

Natsu sighed but he accepted the answer. He downed his last drink and took off for his house.

* * *

Lucy spun around, taking in the sights. Big top tents, rides, games, food. She couldn't believe her luck. It was a dream come true.

"Oh my gosh." Lucy squealed. "It's a carnival. I can't wait to have fun without Natsu." She added in a singsong voice.

With that she merrily skipped towards the rides. She went on a Ferris Wheel, two roller coasters, a haunted house ride, a spinning top ride where it goes so fast you can hardly lift your hands, bumper cars, the house of mirrors, and finally some sort of spinning cup thingy. The blonde did all of these activities with a smile on her face.

"Oooh." She yelled happily. "I am having so much fun without Natsu and Happy. They are going to be so jealous. I think I'll play some games now."

Lucy knocked over milk bottles with softballs and won a stuffed dragon. She aced the target shooting and won a stuffed fish. She came in first in the balloon burst game and won some oversized sunglasses. Basically, she won all of the carnival games. Lucy won so many prizes that she could make a throne with her winnings. In fact, she did.

"Ohohoho." She laughed evilly on her throne. "With my immense, unchallenged skills, I have emerged victorious. No one, not even Natsu, can defeat me in these games. Ohohoho."

All of the rides and games tends to make a person hungry. So Lucy decided that it was time to eat. Oh boys and girls, the food at this particular carnival was mouthwatering. Lucy ate a giant funnel cake dripping in sweet sugar. She devoured pink, blue and green cotton candy. She gobbled down a barrel of caramel popcorn.

When she was finished, Lucy went to pay. "How much do I owe you?" She asked.

The vendor smiled. "Well since you are my one hundredth customer, it's free."

Lucy's eyes shone brightly. "Hooray." She cheered.

With a furious gusto, the Stellar Spirit mage devoured more food until she was full

"I can't believe that I am eating all these snacks." Lucy said with her mouth full. "And it's all because I ditched Natsu." She let loose a loud belly laugh as crumbs dropped from her mouth.

"Natsu." She shook her head while she laughed.

"Natsu."

"Natsu."

"Natsu."

* * *

"Natsu, wake up." A voice yelled in his ear.

Natsu woke up immediately. When he did so, he noticed that his pillow was in his mouth, half chewed. He got his bearings very quickly, spitting out the pillow and a couple of feathers. The Dragon Slayer watched as his friend, teammate and roommate was floating around him.

"It was a dream." Natsu mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes vigorously.

"What did you dream about?" Happy asked, curious as to what dream could have Natsu literally eating his pillow.

Natsu frowned. "It was Lucy." He admitted. "She was in a carnival having fun without us."

Happy's face fell. "Lucy wouldn't do that." He defended his friend. But there was an inkling of doubt forming in the blue Exceed. "Would she?"

Natsu glowered. "I'll show her." He grumbled. "I'll show her that I can have fun without her."

The Fire Dragon Slayer quickly went through his morning routines: bathing, putting on fresh clothes and eating breakfast. Actually, he ate a lot of breakfast. He was going to need it if he was going to do what he wanted to do today. With his morning rituals complete, Natsu made a beeline towards Fairy Tail while Happy flew besides him.

* * *

The doors to Fairy Tail slammed open. Everyone's attention was drawn to the spectacle. Then they saw that it was just Natsu. The guild was about to return to what they were doing prior to Natsu yelling.

"Erza?" The Dragon Slayer shouted loudly. "I challenge you to a fight."

There was an odd silence for a space. Then, everyone went back to what they were doing. In the ambient noise, Natsu felt a bit lost. He was expecting Erza to accept his challenge.

"Oi, Erza." He continued shouting. "Are you afraid of me? Come out and fight."

"Erza already left on a solo mission." A voice answered for Natsu. "She'll be back in a week."

Natsu laughed sheepishly, a bit embarrassed that he was asking for someone who wasn't here. "Alright." He righted himself. "Then I challenge Laxus to a fight."

"Laxus hasn't been hear in two months." Another voice replied.

"Gildarts?" Natsu asked desperately.

"He hasn't been here since you guys came back from Tenrou Island." A voice laughed raucously.

Natsu's fuse was getting shorter and shorter. He wanted a fight and, by god, someone was going to give him one. He scanned the guild looking for a worthy opponent. Almost immediately, his eyes locked on to his eternal rival, Gray Fullbuster. Currently, he was sitting next to his girlfriend of two months, Juvia Lockser, teaching her how to play Go Fish.

"Gray, fight me." Natsu yelled out to him.

Gray turned around when he heard his name. Of course it was Natsu and he's looking for a fight. Well, who was he to disappoint?

"Alright, Ash for Brains." Gray retorted. "You're on."

Natsu grinned. Finally, he was about to have some fun. The Dragon Slayer lit his hands on fire. "Prepare to get your ass handed to you, droopy-eyes." The pink haired mage said as he got into his fighting position.

"With your strength, you'll find it hard to bring me to one knee, slanty-eyes." Gray smirked as he got into his own fighting position (and somehow lost his shirt in the process.)

Natsu charged at Gray and threw a solid left hook. But Gray pivoted and dodged. The ice mage was about to throw a punch of his own when he saw the look on Juvia's face.

Juvia looked depressed. Her head was bowed and her eyes were downcast. Gray was confused as to why she was like that. That's when he remembered. He promised to take her to the aquarium today.

Gray walked over to Juvia, leaving a confused Natsu in his wake. "Sorry." He said to her. "I promised to take you the aquarium today, didn't I?"

Juvia looked hesitant. "No, no. Gray-sama doesn't have to worry about Juvia." She replied, waving her hands back and forth. "Gray-sama should continue his fight with Natsu-kun."

Gray shook his head. "No, I made you a promise." He told her simply, taking her hand. "And I intend to keep it."

Juvia blushed. "But what about Gray-sama's fight?"

The ice mage shook his head. "Not important." Gray told his girlfriend. "Come on."

Gray led Juvia out of the guild, leaving a befuddled Natsu in his wake.

"What just happened?" He asked confusedly. "Did Gray just forfeit a fight?" Natsu couldn't believe it. Even his old standby, Gray, had ditched him. It was as if the world has gone mad.

Now Natsu had no one to fight. At this time, he would have tried something with Gajeel. But as of right now, the Iron Dragon Slayer is persona non grata in the guild after what happened between him and Levy. He didn't even come into Fairy Tail to pick up missions. Lily did that for him.

Natsu felt so lost. This had to be the first time he had no one to fight. With hunched shoulders, the Dragon Slayer shuffled slowly to the bar. He put his head in his hands and sighed. Luckily for him (or unluckily depending on how one sees it), Mirajane was working the bar. She gave him a muted smile.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" The barmaid asked.

Natsu sighed. "There's nothing to do." He whined.

Mira patted Natsu on the head. "There are many things to do." She told him.

"Every one I want to fight isn't here." The pink haired mage complained. "Erza's on a mission, Laxus is who knows where, Gildarts hasn't come back to the guild. Hell, even Gray isn't here because he's with Juvia now."

Mira sighed dreamily. "Ahh, Gray and Juvia. Such an adorable couple." She said, completely ignoring his bemoaning. "I was starting to get worried about those two. But Gray surprised me. Admitting that he liked her during his fight with Lyon. It felt so out of character for Gray but good for him."

Natsu groaned into his hands.

Mira smiled gently. She knew exactly what was bothering Natsu and it had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn't get a good fight. "That's not what's bothering you, Natsu is it?" She told him.

Natsu looked away. "It isn't fair." He mumbled.

"What isn't fair?" Mira asked.

"She's having fun without me." Natsu sulked.

"Who's having fun without you?" The barmaid asked. She already knew but she wanted Natsu to say it.

"Lucy. She wants to have fun without me." Natsu complained. "That's why Lucy's is on a mission by herself."

"Lucy isn't by herself." Mira told him. "She has her spirits with her: Taurus, Aquarius, even Loke."

When Natsu heard Loke's name, for some reason, he felt odd. It was like there was a gnawing in his stomach. Now the Fire Dragon Slayer was very adept at knowing what his stomach wants. Whenever his stomach growls, Natsu is hungry. Whenever his belly is like a bubble, it means he's full. Whenever his stomach flops around, it means that he's feeling sick. But this feeling, this gnawing, it didn't make sense to him.

Mira hid her smirk well. The barmaid was no fool. She intentionally slipped in the lion spirit's name to rattle Natsu. And it looked like it worked. Natsu's face soured at the mention of Loke. Mira almost felt bad for doing this to Natsu. But this was necessary.

"I gotta go, Mira." Natsu said dejectedly.

With that, Natsu hopped off the barstool and exited the guild.

Mira watched and smiled demurely. She was confident that Natsu would be able to figure it out by himself.

* * *

Natsu was sitting by the lake where he, Happy and Lucy were fishing yesterday. There was a giant frown on his face and the gnawing in his stomach wouldn't go away. He couldn't understand why.

Natsu had known Loke about a year longer than he had known Lucy. They weren't as close like Natsu was to say Erza or Gray but they were close enough that he considered the lion spirit nakama. And Natsu knew the kind a person Loke was: suave, flirtatious, always had a string of girlfriends at the same time. It's never bothered him before. He just accepted Loke as he was. So why was he bothered now?

When Loke was revealed to be a Stellar Spirit, at the time, Natsu thought that Loke would be a fine addition to Lucy's powers. Plus, with the lion spirit by her side, Natsu knew that Lucy would be safe in a fight. But now, when he thought of them together, the gnawing returned and he couldn't explain why.

There was one more thing. Happy had mentioned in passing that Loke liked Lucy. At the time, Natsu didn't much of it. In fact, whenever he saw the interaction between Lucy and Loke, it always looked like the blonde was irritated by the lion spirit's advances. Then again, Happy was better at these things then he was and Natsu had no reason to doubt his flying friend.

Natsu huffed and shook his head. He wasn't going to think about it anymore. Instead, the Dragon Slayer thought about how boring today was. It was so odd. Not a single thing to do. Erza was out. Laxus was out. Gildarts was out. Gray ditched him. Oh, Gray ditching him made Natsu unhappy.

Consequently, thinking about Gray made Natsu wonder what it was that Gray and Juvia did together on their dates. He heard that they went to the park, to a restaurant, and now the aquarium. The Dragon Slayer couldn't understand it. What made these places so great, Natsu wondered. He started imagining himself doing these things. But then he was beset by the question of who would be with him? Natsu tried to imagine taking someone with him. Funny thing is, the first person who came to mind...

"Lucy." Natsu mumbled.

When he said her name, Natsu's face heated up. For the life of him, he couldn't explain why. And Natsu didn't understand why the first person he thought about going on a date with was Lucy.

Natsu growled. All of this thinking was starting to make his head hurt. So the Dragon Slayer resolved not to think about this anymore. He was going to do something, anything to get Lucy off of his mind.

* * *

Lucy and Loke were walking down a dusty path. They were holding hands and smiling at each other.

"Dear Lucy." Loke purred. "I am so glad that you chose me to go on this mission with you."

Lucy squeezed Loke's hand. "I'm glad that you came with me as well." She told him. "I wanted to tell you something but I didn't want Natsu and the others to interrupt." She looked away shyly. A red tinge started forming on her face.

The lion spirit cocked his head. "What is it?"

Lucy sighed and looked at Loke with her adorable brown eyes. The red tinge became a full-on blush. "Every time I think about you, my heart beats a bit faster, my stomach does flips and my face heats up." She told Loke. "I've been trying to find out why. And now I know."

Loke's eyes widened.

Lucy bit her thumb, as if what she was about to say was very embarrassing. "I really like you, Loke."

Loke smiled widely. "I really like you too, Lucy."

Lucy embraced the lion spirit. Loke returned the embrace, hugging the blonde tightly. The two started laughing joyfully.

"I can't wait to tell everyone." Lucy told him. "I'm sure that they'll be happy for us."

"I'm sure that they will be." Loke laughed joyfully.

Lucy's eyes brighten. "In fact, let's go tell them now."

"Let's, Dear Lucy." Loke said as he proffered his arm. Lucy took it, wrapping her arm in his. With that, the two of them walked towards Fairy Tail.

* * *

Natsu fell out of his hammock, hitting his head against the cold, unforgiving floor.

"Owww." The Dragon Slayer moaned.

Groaning, Natsu sat up and rubbed his forehead.

"Another dream." Natsu mumbled. "Why did I dream about Lucy again?"

Natsu didn't understand. It wasn't unusual for Lucy to be a resident in his dreams. It wasn't even unusual for Lucy to be the star of his dreams. His dreams of Lucy before these last two nights were pretty standard. They would be fighting enemies together or hanging out together. Together. Never apart. So why was he dreaming of her now like this?

Nastu started popping the bones in his body, trying to shake off the sleep from his body. From outside of his room, he could hear the flapping of wings, indicating that Happy was about to come in.

"Natsu, Natsu." Happy yelled. "Today's the day Lucy comes back from her mission."

Natsu smiled. "That's right. She's coming back today."

The two of them got very excited. They couldn't wait for Lucy to return.

"Let's hurry to Fairy Tail." Natsu told his friend. "Lucy could be back already."

"Ayesir." Happy replied.

Natsu and Happy ran to Fairy Tail at full speed, ready to greet their friend and teammate.

* * *

Have you ever watched a dog? Dogs are very loyal. There are many stories of dogs waiting for their masters to come home. They will stay by the door and wait patiently. When their masters do return home, those dogs get so excited, reveling in their master's company.

That's what Mira thought of when she saw Natsu and Happy. They were waiting for Lucy to return to them. They watched the door. Every time the door open, the Dragon Slayer and the Exceed would lean towards the door, hoping to see their blonde friend. But each time, they would be disappointed. It wouldn't be Lucy. But still, they waited with unrestrained glee for the moment that she walks through that door.

Mira smiled. Natsu was so easy to read. She knew exactly what was going through his head, even if he didn't.

As the day wore on, Natsu and Happy's attitude became more somber. It was looking less and less likely that Lucy was coming. But they refused to give up faith that Lucy was returning today. She said that it was only a two day mission. She promised that she would be back in two days and Stellar Spirit mages never break their promises. Lucy told him that. But Lucy did not show up.

Natsu frowned. He looked at the time. It was already midnight. Had he really spent the whole day waiting for Lucy? He turned to his right and saw that Happy fell asleep on the bar. He smiled and patted his head.

Mira, who had watched Natsu and Happy all day, gave the two a weary smile. She knew that they weren't happy when Lucy didn't show up. She also knew that they would wait all night for her. But it was time to close up the guild.

"Natsu." Mira said gently. "I think that you and Happy should head home."

"No." Natsu replied. "I'm waiting for Lucy."

Mira sighed. "I need to close up."

Natsu looked at Mira with steely eyes. "Lucy could still be on her way."

Mira gave Natsu a motherly look. "Natsu, it's midnight." She told him.

"I don't care." He said adamantly. "I'm staying here until she comes back."

Mira sighed again. Then an idea came to her head. "You know, Lucy could be back at her place."

Natsu looked at Mira questioningly. "Why would she do that?"

"Well, she could have been so tired that just wanted to go to bed." Mira explained.

Natsu nodded in agreement. That was plausible in his mind. "Alright, I'm going." He announced.

Collecting Happy in his arm, Natsu ran out the door, hoping to see his friend. He left Mira to lock up by herself. She smiled to herself. Natsu was worried about Lucy, even though he wouldn't admit it to himself. Hopefully, she was right and Fairy Tail's resident Stellar Spirit mage was really home so Natsu could be his normal self again.

* * *

Natsu was running and he couldn't understand why. Why was he doing this? Why did he need to see Lucy so badly? Natsu surmised that it was because she was his friend. And yet, that answer didn't satisfy him. He didn't want to think about it anymore. He just wanted to see Lucy.

Lucy's apartment came in sight. Natsu smiled. He couldn't wait to see her. In a single bound, Natsu leaped and reached her window easily. He opened it up and let himself in.

In a second, Natsu's smile dropped. Lucy wasn't in her bed. It didn't take him long to search the entire apartment. No Lucy.

Natsu took in a deep breath. He could smell Lucy's unique scent all over the place. Peaches and vanilla. Her scent calmed him and he couldn't explain why. Natsu continued sniffing the apartment. He immersed himself in Lucy's essence. It was then that Natsu made a decision. He was going to wait for Lucy here.

Natsu gently placed Happy on Lucy's bed. Then he plopped on it as well. Natsu took a deep whiff of Lucy's pillow. Her scent was on the pillow. It was faint but still there. A few sniffs of Lucy's pillow put him right to sleep.

* * *

Lucy was stumbling in a forest, holding her dislocated right arm. Her beautiful face was cut up, caked blood on her cheeks and forehead. Her clothes were ripped and torn. Her body was bruised and muddied. Her keys were missing. She was breathing heavily and coughing up blood.

All of a sudden, Lucy collapsed to her knees, breathing in gasps. She couldn't go on anymore. Tears started welling in her eyes.

Lucy cried. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore.

"It's not fair." She cried. "I don't want to die. There's still so much I want to do." Her tears came even stronger. "I wanted to finish my novel. I wanted to have more fun with my friends. I wanted to collect all 12 Zodiac keys. But most importantly, I wanted to see Natsu again."

Lucy coughed up more blood. She knew that her time on this earth was rapidly coming to an end.

"Why, Natsu?" She sobbed. "Why did you let me go on a mission by myself? Why didn't you come with me? I thought you were my friend. I thought that you would protect me. I thought that you wouldn't let anybody hurt me. So why didn't you save me? Why did you let me die?"

Natsu's name was the last word on the blonde's lips. After that, Lucy Heartfilia left this mortal coil.

* * *

"Lucy." Natsu yelled, getting up immediately.

The Dragon Slayer looked around, trying to get his bearings. He was at Lucy's place. It was morning and the sun was shining in his face. Why was he here, he wondered. Oh yeah, he spent the night here to wait for Lucy.

Natsu's heart was racing. His skin felt clammy. His cheeks felt oddly wet so Natsu put his fingers on them.

"Tears." Natsu whispered. "I was crying. Why was I crying?"

Natsu remembered the dream. It all felt so horrifyingly real. He didn't like it. The thought of losing Lucy was unbearable. If she died while on this mission by herself, Natsu would never forgive himself. In fact, he would probably break beyond repair.

He made a quick check of the apartment. Still no Lucy. What if she...

"No." He muttered to himself. "Lucy's alive." But somehow, this affirmation didn't make him feel any better.

Natsu decided to go to Fairy Tail. Perhaps he would see her there. He thought about taking Happy but decided against it. Happy was sleeping peacefully in Lucy's bed. There was no need to wake him.

Natsu climbed out of the window and ran to Fairy Tail, all the while telling himself that Lucy was okay.

* * *

Mira was watching Natsu as he sat at the bar, drinking his sixth habenero smoothie. His fingers were drumming against the bar, his foot was tapping against the floor, his breath was coming in pants, and he kept his eyes trained on the door. Basically, Natsu was a wreck. The barmaid had never seen him like this, not even when he heard that Lisanna had "died" that day, now almost nine years ago.

Mira wanted to comfort Natsu, to tell him that Lucy was alright. But she didn't know if Natsu would believe her. Short of Lucy walking through that door, she couldn't think of anything to break him out of his funk.

"Natsu." Mira said gently.

Natsu turned to Mira. There was a look in his eyes, a look that needed reassurance. "Mira, why do I feel this way?" He asked. "I mean, I know that Lucy is strong. I know that she can take care of herself. I know that she has all of her spirits to protect her. So why do I feel this way?"

Mira knew why. She knew the reason to Natsu's uncharacteristic depression. But she couldn't tell him. This was something he had to figure out on his own.

"You know the reason, Natsu." She told him. "You know it in your heart of hearts."

Natsu slammed his fist into the counter. "No I don't, Mira." He yelled.

Mirajane was undeterred. "Yes you do." She replied. "Listen, why don't you take a walk?"

"I don't want to walk, Mira." Natsu growled.

"A walk will clear your mind." She said. "And as you clear your mind, think about all of the things you felt while Lucy was away. Really examine your feelings. When you do, you'll understand why you feel this way. I promise."

Natsu wanted to argue with her but he thought better of it. Besides, Mira was right. A nice walk would clear his head. With an imperceptible nod to the barmaid, Natsu headed out of the guild.

* * *

Natsu's feet took him to the forest, in particular a tree that he uprooted many years ago. He could tell it was that tree by the imprint of his hands as he lifted it out of the ground. It made him smile just thinking about it. He ripped this tree from the ground so that Lucy wouldn't miss the Rainbow Blossom viewing while she was sick. Oh he got in so much trouble for that. But it was all worth it when he saw Lucy's smiling face.

There he goes again, thinking about Lucy. Natsu sighed. This was getting out of hand.

Natsu sighed and plopped himself against the tree. "Mira said to examine my feelings." He said to himself. "When I do, I'll understand why I feel this way."

Natsu took a deep breath. "Okay. Here we go." He said to himself. "I don't like it when I think Lucy's having fun without me. I get this gnawing feeling whenever I think of Loke with Lucy. And I get worried when I don't know if she's okay. Okay, basically that means that I don't like it when I'm apart from Lucy."

When he came to the conclusion that he didn't like it when he and Lucy were apart, he started thinking about the times when they were together. "I like it when we take missions together." He started. "I like it when we have fun together. I like going to her apartment. I like pulling pranks on her. I like relaxing with her. I like being with her."

As he rattled off the things he liked about Lucy, it was as if his brain was directly connected to his mouth, with no filter in-between to think about it. "I like it when she smiles. I hate it when she's sad. I like it when she pays attention to me. I hate it when she's hurt. I like it when she hugs me. I hate it when other people call her weak."

Natsu sighed. "I like being with Lucy." He mumbled. "She makes every day something to look forward to and that makes me happy. It's almost like I'm... I'm... I'm..."

The more Natsu started thinking about why he felt this way about Lucy, the more one answer came to mind. However, Natsu refused to acknowledge _that answer_. He knew that if he admitted to that, then there would be more problems. And yet, every other explanation made no sense to him.

Now Natsu may not know about Occam's Razor but even he knew that in this situation, the simplest answer was the correct one. And the simplest answer was...

"I'm in love with Lucy." The pink haired mage breathed.

It was odd. As soon as he said those words, Natsu felt as if an incredible weight was lifted off of his shoulders. Those words were like simple truth. You know, the sky is blue, fire is delicious, and he loved Lucy.

Natsu started to chuckle. "I'm in love with Lucy." He laughed joylessly. "I'm in love with Lucy." He kept repeating that over and over as he stood up and faced the tree.

"Stupid." He whispered to himself. "Stupid, stupid." As he said that, Natsu banged his head against the tree. He knew admitting that to himself would be problematic. This was his fault and his fault alone because he knew the truth.

"Lucy could have any guy she wants." Natsu murmured. "Why would she choose me?"

It was true. The Heartfilia name alone opened doors Natsu couldn't even fathom, let alone open. Even though she didn't have the fortune the name once commanded, Lucy's name alone brought prestige. Lucy was also a mage, which made her more desirable. Mages are fantastic lovers (or so he heard). They are rare, strong, and have great stamina. Plus, just like the Heartfilia name, dating a mage (for the non-mage anyways) instantly boosted one's status. And to top that off, Lucy was a very beautiful girl. Natsu wasn't blind. He knew that his partner was attractive. But before now, it was never an issue to him.

To Natsu, Lucy is a person who had a kind word for everyone. She gives a smile to everyone in the guild, including him. She is also strong, both in magic and in will. Lucy also tries her best. And should she fail, she always picks herself up and tries again. Lucy was also fun to be with, whether it be missions, fishing, partying or even doing nothing together. In essence, being with Lucy made him happy and not being with Lucy made him depressed. Lucy was fun and amazing and pretty and smart, basically everything he could ever want in a friend. How could he NOT be friends with Lucy? How could he NOT fall in love with Lucy?

But Lucy was his friend and friends don't fall in love with friends. If they were to be in a relationship and then break up, what would happen to them? Would they still be friends? Would they hate each other? Natsu had to admit that this scenario frighten him.

Natsu sighed. A part of him wished he could go back to not knowing that he was in love with Lucy. But the Dragon Slayer knew he couldn't. And so Natsu banged his head against the tree again. One good whack with his head and the tree snapped in half and fell down. Natsu barely felt the sting.

"Wow, Natsu." A voice said to him. "I've always knew you were hardheaded but that..." The voice laughed at his expense.

Natsu's eyes widened. He knew that voice. Slowly, he turned around. Could it be?

It was Lucy... in the flesh.

"Lucy?" Natsu whispered, wondering if she was a hallucination brought on by the possible concussion he just gave himself.

"Hey Natsu." Lucy smiled. "Sorry I'm late. The train broke down for twelve hours and I..."

Lucy didn't get to finish that sentence as she was scooped in his arms, a furious blush formed on her cheeks. Natsu laughed as he spun Lucy around. Lucy was here. Lucy was home.

"Natsu, what's gotten into you?" Lucy laughed.

"I missed you." Natsu told her. "I'm so glad you're back."

It was too bad that Natsu wasn't looking at Lucy's face because if he did, he would have seen her turn a bright red. He would have also seen Lucy smile so brightly, it would have put the sun to shame. "Okay Natsu, put me down." She laughed.

Natsu did as he was asked. "Tell me everything." He told Lucy. "I want to know what happened."

"Nothing really, Natsu." Lucy sighed. "It was really routine. No hiccups or anything."

"I still want to know." Natsu responded with a smile. "I want to know how your first solo mission went."

Lucy smiled. "Okay Natsu. But can we get something to eat? I'm starving."

Natsu grinned. "Alright."

In that moment, Natsu knew that he was going to go after Lucy's heart, to make her love him back. It was probably impossible. But then again, when has impossible stopped him before? Little by little, he would show Lucy his feelings for her and maybe, just maybe, she would reciprocate them. Natsu smiled to himself. Mira was right. The answer was inside his heart of hearts.

To those that know him, Natsu was a really happy guy. He loved a good fight. He enjoyed going on missions. He liked hanging out with his friends. But the only time Natsu was truly jovial was when he was with Lucy.

* * *

_Word Count: 8739_

**Wow, that was long.**

**Some notes. **

**This story was inspired by a Naruto/Hinata fic called For Every Season. If you are a Naruto fan or a Naru/Hina shipper, I really do recommend it. It's probably the best Naru/Hina one-shot on this site.**

**There are two references to my other fics in this chapter. Gray's confession was taking from my Gruvia one shot "She Belongs with Me". Gajeel being persona non grata is a reference to F is for Forgiveness in my GaLe story. Though you should never believe an author's self-promoting, that story is one of my best and I recommend you read it.**

**This story developed as Jokes first. It was about Natsu and Lucy playing pranks on each other. The kicker to the story is that Lucy would spend time with some random guy. At first, Natsu would think that the guy was going to help Lucy pull a prank on him. Then, the more time Lucy spent with him, the more Natsu wouldn't like it. It would have come to the same conclusion with Natsu admitting to himself that he liked Lucy. **

**But I liked this idea more. Natsu has rarely been apart from Lucy and it would be interesting to see how he reacts to not having Lucy around, to see what thoughts rack his mind. The first is simple. Lucy's having fun without him. Then the next is putting Loke in the story (at least in the dream). I am very careful not to call what Natsu is feeling jealousy. The reason is that I don't think he knows what jealousy feels like. He's never had a reason to feel jealousy. That's why I only called what Natsu felt a gnawing feeling. And finally, I have Natsu not knowing if Lucy is alright.**

**And yes, Dream Lucy is brutal.**

**Anyways, love it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_I know I shouldn't be doing this. Lucy's my friend. But when I saw her that day, it's like something inside of me unlocked. I shouldn't be surprised though. She is a Stellar Spirit mage after all._

**Should be easy. What's the K word here?**

**Getting better every day,**

**A. Angel**


	11. K is for Key

**Huzzahs. New chapter ahoy. Thanks for the reviews. They make me so happy. Let me answer some of them.  
**

**niners, yes Natsu isn't the introspective type. So having him be silent in the last chapter was somewhat of a challenge. I think he needs to reflect on how he feels about Lucy in order for him to finally figure it out.  
**

**misstirius, LuckyLife, Lovelyanime, lurv4, Natsu is the kind of person to accept something like this without question. I mean he's known Lucy for about two years. I think by now he would feel comfortable in admitting it to herself. Plus it's the simplest explanation. Lucy on the other hand... :-)  
**

**Ksrjah, thank you for the complement. It's hard trying to keep all of the characters in their right framework while adding the additional changes in their relationship. Then trying to figure out how these changes would affect them. That's a real challenge for any writer and it makes me happy to hear that you think I do it well.  
**

**Liliana-chan, Natsu a lovesick puppy? Maybe. Although I've never really understood that expression. How do puppies get lovesick? Perhaps I'm overthinking things.  
**

**And everyone else who's reading but especially the one who review, thank you. Makes me feel happy hearing from you.  
**

******To those who don't know yet, I have some good news to announce. ****About three months ago, a couple of buddies from work and I decided to make a video game and see if we can't get someone to publish it. So we set up a rough draft of characters, drawings, plot lines and all that jazz. Afterwards, we sent it to a bunch of companies to see if they would take it on. A week ago, we got a message from a major game producer saying that they liked the concept and want to see more. They told us to make a presentation of gameplay and stuff. Needless to say I was fucking stoked. Now we are in the process of building the game. The producers have given us four months to make a three hour demo.**

**************I'm telling you guys this because one, this is exciting news to me. And two, it will also explain the fact that I will be focusing on the game project more than I will this. I'll still post chapters here and there but it won't be with any regular speed or schedule.**

**************Anyways, onto this chapter. This is going to be an M rated chapter. Another lemon. This time it's from Natsu's perspective. You'll notice that the writing style is a bit disjointed. This is done on purpose. I can't imagine Natsu being the introspective guy after all. So if lemons aren't your thing, I've separated the story again into three parts, the second part is the deed.  
**

**************Finally, two points to lolo MN, goldenrose, natsumi, shimmer, phoenixbear, p1ka2, yahiro, hopeless, liliana-chan, celeste, bystander and lurv4.  
**

**************Now, our feature presentation**

* * *

**K is for Key**

_Open your heart to me, baby. I hold the lock and you hold the key. ~ Madonna, Open Your Heart_

Today is a great day. I've just eaten some fire and I'm having a good time. The only thing that I'm missing is Lucy. But she's not here. She's with Levy at some sort of book signing. I don't understand. Why would you want the author to write on your book after you bought it? Maybe it's a reading thing.

Oh well. That's Lucy thing.

Damn I'm hungry. I wonder if Mira's got some more food. I am starving.

I head over to the bar and ask for my usual. Mira smiles at me and tells me that it'll be ten minutes.

As I am sitting at the bar, I look around. I can see Gray taking care of Juvia. It's been five days since she recovered after that mission. I'm glad she's doing okay.

He's checking on her bandages, trying to make her comfortable, feeding her food. It's kinda funny seeing Gray fuss over her. He's never acted like that with anyone. Then again, his girlfriend had just recovered from a very serious injury.

You see, two weeks ago, Juvia nearly died on a mission. Me, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Happy and Carla went on a mission to destroy some zombies. It was suppose to be a simple mission. But it didn't turn out that way. What happened was we were attacked by the guy who was summoning all of the zombies. That guy nearly killed Juvia.

You know, up until that moment, I had never seen Gray that pissed in his life. But I guess trying to kill the person you love most will make you act like that.

If any good came out of what happened, it would have to be that Gray never wasted a moment to tell Juvia that he loved her.

Damn. I want to see Lucy.

I was about to go and find her when Mira comes back with my food. Well, no use wasting good food. I might as well eat it.

"That'll be 1500 jewels." Mira says with a smile.

I was about to dig in my pockets for some jewels when a hand puts the jewels on the table.

"I'll pay for Natsu's meal." A very familiar voice says.

I turn towards the voice. It's Cana and she's grinning. It's weird. The way that she's looking at me is somewhat unnerving. It's like Happy when he stares at fish he wants to eat.

I look at Mira. She looks like she's sorry for me. How weird. But at least I'm getting a free meal.

Cana hands me a glass of some nasty smelling liquid. "Here, drink this." She says. "It'll put some hair on your chest."

I take the glass and sniff it. It smells worse up close. "Do you drink this?" I ask.

"Almost every day." Cana grins.

That's weird, I think. "Then why don't you have any hair on _your_ chest?" I wonder aloud.

Cana gets a look in her eyes, the same look that Lucy gets whenever she's about to hit me. But she doesn't hit me. Instead she smiles, or at least she forces one.

"I just want to talk." Cana says through her teeth. "Here, drink up." She tells me after pointing to the glass.

I shrug my shoulders. She paid for my food. I guess it would be rude not to drink.

I down the drink. It tastes very bitter. It's not like the fire whisky I'm so used to drinking. This is just awful. "What the hell is this?" I yell.

Cana grins. "It's called In Vino Veritas." She tells me. "140 proof and it's pretty freakin' amazing."

I stick out my tongue in disgust. "No it isn't." I spit. "It's gross."

"Trust me." She tells me. "It's something that grows on you." Cana pours me another glass and hands it to me. "Now the second glass will be better."

I don't know. But she knows about booze and stuff. Maybe she's right. I drink the glass. Weird. It doesn't taste as bad as the first time.

"Well?" She asks.

"Not bad." I admit.

"Excellent." Cana cheers. She pours me another glass. "Now the third one." She hands it to me.

I drink the glass. Hey. That's actually good. I tell her as much.

Cana nods and starts pouring me another glass. I down about ten more before she stops handing me the booze. I feel a little lightheaded, just like when I ate Etherion. I can feel her move close to me.

"Natsu." She whispers.

"Yeah?" I respond.

"How long have we known each other?" She asks.

I have to think but it's kinda hard. There's this pounding in my head and it's not going away. "Uhh ten years or so?" I tell her.

It's hard to focus but I think that I can see Cana grinning. Weird. That grin is off somehow. "And would you say that we are nakama?" She asks.

Like she has to ask. "Of course." I tell her immediately.

"And you know that nakama tell each other everything, right?" She says.

"I guess." I shrug my shoulders.

"And there's something about you that I don't know." She continues. "I would like to know. Will you tell me? It would really make me happy to know it?"

Something in my head tells me that we are heading into dangerous territory. But it's hard to think because of the booze. "Sure." I tell her.

Cana grins. "Now can you tell me how you and Lucy got together?" She asks.

It's weird. I know I shouldn't be saying anything about that. That's between me and Lucy. But I can't help it. It's like I have to tell her.

"Don't bother trying to fight it, Natsu." Cana tells me. "In Vino Veritas is a special liquor. It compels whoever drinks it to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

"You tricked me." I growled.

Cana grinned. "Oh well. Now dish."

I try to resist. I really did. But the words are coming out despite what I want. "Well, it happened two months ago." I begin

* * *

It was an ordinary day. Well not so ordinary. Happy was sick from eating too much fish. It's kinda funny. He's never had a tummy ache before. Oh well. He's at the house. He'll be fine by himself.

I'm on my way to Lucy's. Maybe she wants to hang out somewhere. I can see it, one of my favorite places to be. Lucy's house is awesome. I get to go through Lucy's stuff, read Lucy's novel and maybe see what new clothes Lucy bought. So many things to do.

And ever since I've realized that I'm in love with Lucy, seeing her does stuff to me. I start looking at myself in the mirror, checking to see if I look okay. I notice the clothes that she wears and started complementing her on it. I start looking at her, really looking at her, to figure out if she feels the same way about me.

Never mind that. It's time to visit Lucy.

I make a big jump and reach Lucy's windowsill. And there she is. She just got out of the shower. I can tell because she's in a towel and she smells so clean. Now she's putting on some lotion. I wonder why she does that. Maybe that's why she smells the way she does.

"Hey Lucy." I shout out to her.

She jumps and drops the bottle. Lucy turns around and looks surprised. I don't understand. I do this all the time.

"Dammit, Natsu." She yells at me. "I'm getting dressed. Pervert."

I smile. "Come on. It's not like I haven't seen you in a towel before." I tell her. "Remember Edolas?"

I jump into her bed facedown and take a good whiff. I love Lucy's scent. It makes me feel warm, which is weird because I'm always warm. It's hard to say what it smells like. It's like vanilla yogurt, aloe vera, something that smells like fruit punch and that special scent that makes Lucy... well Lucy. God, she smells amazing.

"Yeah, well I'm trying to change." She tells me.

But I'm bored. "Come on. Hurry up." I whine. "I wanna do something today."

"Well, get out and let me change. We can do something when I'm dressed." Lucy says.

I look at Lucy and grin. "Nah." I tell her. "Lucy's bed is too comfy to leave."

Lucy's face scrunches up in anger. I have to admit that she looks kinda cute like that. "Natsu, leave my room NOW." She yells.

I was about to tell her that she's too loud when... it happens.

Lucy's towel drops to the floor.

Oh my god. I can't believe it. She's naked.

No!

Wait!

There's no way that the real Lucy would ever be naked in front of me. This has to be a dream. I have dreamed about Lucy before. Even before I knew about my feelings for Lucy, she was in my dreams. Usually we were on a mission or going fishing. But ever since I acknowledged them, my Lucy dreams have gotten much more intense. Sometimes we'd be alone and she'd be sitting on my lap. Then we would kiss. She would take her clothes off and... well, you get the idea.

Oh well, if this is a dream, might as well make the most of this.

I get up out of the bed and walk towards Lucy. Weird. If this is a dream, then why is she walking away?

Pretty soon, Lucy is against her wall. I trap her with my hands.

It's weird. She looks confused. That's not the look the Lucy in my dreams has. But I'll go with it.

"Natsu." She whispers.

"Lucy." I answer back.

I lean in to kiss her and then our lips touch.

Woah. That's different.

I can't say I know much about kissing. The only info I got on the subject is some manga books. And a couple of times, I've seen Gray and Juvia kissing in a back room, not that I like watching kiss or anything. I'm not a pervert. But I always thought it's just lips touching. But it's much more.

This feels so different, so warm, so... I don't know the word. But it's amazing.

That's when it hits me. This isn't a dream. This is real. I just kissed Lucy in real life.

At that moment, it's like something inside of me clicked. That kiss was like a key opening the door and now that it's open, everything is pouring out.

I kiss her again. I can't help it. I have to kiss Lucy again. Kissing Lucy is like eating all of my favorite foods at once. I need her. I want her.

But something is bothering me. Why isn't Lucy stopping me? Shouldn't she be saying _'Natsu, why are you doing this' _or something?

The more I continue kissing her, the more I can hear this thu-thump in her neck. What is that and why does her neck smell so amazing? Maybe if I get closer, I can figure it out.

I put my nose to Lucy's neck. I can smell something and it's ... it's ... I need it. So I kiss her neck. "Lucy, you smell so amazing." I tell her. And it's the truth. I've never smelled anything this good in my life.

"Natsu." Lucy moans. She has never said my name like that. And I can't help but like the way she said my name.

I need more. I need more. God, I need more.

My hands are on autopilot, touching her tummy. Her skin feels so soft. Is it because of all the lotion she uses?

I just noticed something. Whenever I circle her bellybutton with my finger, Lucy whimpers. I wonder why. Does that mean she likes it? Does she hate it? But if she hates this, why is she letting me do this? Is she afraid of me? No, she doesn't, right?

I guess at the very least, I should tell why.

"Lucy." I tell her as I kiss her. "I can't help myself. I've been thinking about this for a while." It's the truth. The dreams I've been having are starting to get intense, just like now. "I've thought about doing this with you. I know I shouldn't but I just can't help myself."

I know we're not suppose to do this. Even I know that. But once I saw Lucy without any clothes on, that was it for me. Where are my hands are going? Oh man, I can't stop it. Lucy's probably going to kill me.

My hand is on her boob.

It's just as soft as I remember it. I remember on Tenrou Island when Happy used the Lucy doll to put my face in between her boobs. Oh that was amazing. And before when I caught Lucy when she fell from Jose Porla's tower. But I was thinking about saving Lucy than being in between that magnificent rack of hers.

I have to say, Lucy has the best boobs in all of Fairy Tail. She does very little to hide them. All of her clothes display her boobs for the world to see. When I first met her, it didn't really bother me. Lucy was just Lucy. But everything changed when I realized that I had fallen for her. When that happened, I couldn't help but really look at her. She was gorgeous... she _is_ gorgeous.

And now, I am in her room. She's naked and I'm kissing her and grabbing her boobs.

But then it gets better because now, her hands are on my neck and they are gliding down my chest. Damn, feels so good. I can't get enough. I have to kiss her again.

This time, she kisses me back. I thought kissing her before was awesome. But her kissing me back... it's awesome-er. But I still need more. So I press my body against her. God, that feels amazing.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Lucy." I admit. Then I kiss her shoulders. It's like I can't get enough of her. "I've never done this before. I've never felt this way before."

"You think you're the only one." She squeaks as I squeeze her breasts some more, making sure to put her nipple in between my fingers.

It's weird. I've never done this before. I mean I've heard some of the guys talking about what they do with their girls. But actually doing it...

I take a moment to look her in the eyes, her lovely chocolate brown eyes. There's a part of her that wants this. But I can see the fear in her eyes. Is she scared of me? Or does she think that this means nothing to me?

"Lucy. I know what you're thinking. This isn't a one-night stand." I tell her. "I like you way too much to hurt you like that."

Wait!

What did I say? That's not right. I don't like her. I love her. Maybe I should just tell her that I love her. But what if she doesn't believe me? Okay then I won't say that I love her now.

"I don't know what this is." I tell her. "I know that if we do this, we can't go back to the way things were before today. So say the word, Lucy. Say the word. Say you don't want this and we stop... no matter how far we are in this."

There, I've said it. Now the decision is up to her.

"Can I ask one question?" She asks me in a voice I've never heard her speak. She sounds so vulnerable. I have to do everything I can to make her feel comfortable, regardless of what she chooses. "What brought this about? And why me?"

I tell Lucy about the dreams that I've been having. I tell her about my feelings, hanging out with her, kissing her, even doing what we've been doing so far. And she just looks at me so innocently.

I give her a choice. I tell Lucy that if she says no, then we'll go back to the way things were. I won't press her. But she says yes...

"Natsu." Lucy speaks. She blushes so cutely. How come I've never noticed how cute she can be when she blushes. "If we do this, what happens afterwards? Do we just go back to the way things were? Is this just to scratch each other's itch?"'

How can she think that? But I guess I understand. This is coming out of nowhere for her. I tell her that it's not a sex thing for me. Then I tell her about my feelings for her, once again telling her that I like her instead of telling her that I love her.

"Natsu, if we promise to stay friends afterwards and not let this get weird between us then..." She says.

"Then?" I repeat.

"Then yes." She says in the softest voice yet.

Woah. Really? She said that?

"Are you sure?" I ask her.

"Yes." She says more confidently.

Okay. I wasn't expecting that but if she says it's yes, then...

I pick her up and place her gently on her bed. I take one last look at her before I continue. She looks so beautiful. Her golden hair that's splayed in all directions, her eyes that look so innocently at me, her amazing body that doesn't have a scar... She's just so perfect and it makes me wonder why she's letting me do this. But I'm not going to complain.

I run my hands across her stomach. Her skin is so smooth. I can feel her body heating up, like it's waiting for me to do something. Does she want more? I can do that.

I start taking off my clothes until I down to my boxers. I press my body against her. God, she feels so impossibly soft. Her boobs are soft against me. When I did that, it was like something unlocked inside of me. I need her now. I can't wait.

I remove my boxers and now I am naked like the day I was born.

It's been a while since I've been naked in front of a girl. (Because I'm not a pervert like Gray.) I'm not really body shy. I mean I've been in an onsen with Lucy and Erza. I've taken baths in Lucy's place. But this is different. This is sex. I'm about to have sex with Lucy.

And now she's checking me out. Weird. I've never been self conscious before but under her stare, I start fidgeting. But she must have liked what she sees because she smiles a bit at me.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Lucy?" I ask. I don't want her to regret what we are about to do. I'm giving her a final out. "Absolutely sure?"

She nods.

She said yes. She said yes. **SHE SAID YES**.

Alright then. I'm all fired up and then...

Oh shit. I forgot something.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asks me.

"I don't have that thing that the guy's suppose to wear." I tell her. Dammit. Why can't I remember that? I heard Macao and Loke talking about wrapping their tool before having sex. At the time, I didn't understand. What tool and why would you want to wrap it? When I asked the old man about it, he explained what sex is and how guys and girls did it. And he said that you always have to have that thing on your thing before you do it so the girl doesn't get pregnant.

"It starts with a C... cone, cope, cord." I'm trying to remember. Why is it so hard to remember?

"A condom?" She says. Well, it's more like a squeak.

"Yeah." I answer. "A condom. That way, you won't get pregnant."

Her face looks so flushed. Is what I said weird? I don't get it.

She tells me that I don't have to worry about her getting pregnant because she's on the pill.

"Pill? What pill?" I ask. "And how come you won't get pregnant with the pill?"

Lucy looks away like she's embarrassed. Wait, she's embarrassed? Why?

"Many female mages are on the pill." She explains to me. "It's a precaution because there's a chance that we could be captured... and raped."

Rape

I've heard that word before. It means that a guy has sex with a girl that doesn't want it. One time, I read in the newspaper that a female mage got raped. When I asked Mira about it, Mira sighed and said this is just another danger for female mages. I didn't understand at the time. I can't imagine someone like Erza or Mira being on the pill. I mean who could defeat those two?

She's crying now. Oh Lucy, why are you crying "When I was on that ship in Hargeon, I thought that Bora would attack me. I thought that he would do something to me then. But you saved me." She says to me.

I smile. I saved her from being raped. That makes me happy.

"Then, there was that onsen." She continues. "The one we went to before Juvia joined the guild. Two guys attacked me. I thought that they ..." She starts sobbing.

I don't know what to say.

"But Loke saved me then." She tells me. "That's when I made the decision to be on the pill. If something does happens, then I..." She cries harder.

I can't help but feel the tears in my eyes. I don't want Lucy to cry. I want Lucy to be happy.

"That's why I'm glad that my first time is with you." Lucy tells me. "At least we're friends. At least you care for me. At least you like me. I'm glad that my first time is with you, Natsu."

I wipe the tears from her face. Those words make me happy. She trusts me so much and I have to show her that I'm worthy of the trust. "Lucy, I will never let anybody hurt you like that." I tell her. I hope she believes me.

"Natsu." She whispers. I think she does believe me.

I get myself ready. Even though I've never done this before, I know what I need to do. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

"I promise." I tell her. Then I kiss her.

Okay. Here we go.

I push my thing inside of her.

Oh my god. This feels amazing. I've never felt anything like this. It's feels better than fighting. It's feels better than eating fire. Now I get it. Now I get why Macao and Loke like doing this. Why haven't I done this before? Then again, I can't imagine doing this with anyone but Lucy.

I start moving. With every thrust, I can give Lucy's body giving me just enough resistance to give me maximum pleasure. And I can see she likes it because she's moaning and blushing. She's also saying my name in a way that I've never heard her say it. I have to say that I like her saying my name like that.

More. I need more. I want more.

I put my head on her boobs. God, these boobs are the best. They are so full and big and soft. I wonder what they taste like so I suck on her boobs. Wow. Amazing. Just amazing. I can taste the lotion and soap that she uses. There's a bit of sweat and her unique scent on them too. It's awesome. I need more. I have to have more.

I keep thrusting and she's getting tighter. It's like my thing is surrounded in the best heat. And the more I thrust, the better it gets. I can smell the sex. It's like a high. I can't get enough. I need more. I want more.

"Natsu." She mewls.

I've never heard such a sound come from her mouth. And the way she's wrapping her arms around my neck, I think I'm doing it right.

I'm so close. I can feel something building in my crotch. Okay, okay. Just a little more. But then I feel Lucy tightening around my thing. Shit that feels so good. And then there's the look on her face. She looks so innocently at me even though we just did what we did. I can't hold on anymore.

I'm done.

Wow. I'm exhausted. How is that? I just got up. I don't know but I feel so sleepy. I lay down on top of Lucy, who pushes me off of her.

God, I feel amazing. I hope she does too. This was my first time. I didn't know what I was doing. But hopefully it was good for her too.

I could use a nap. Yeah that would be good. I pull Lucy next to me. Her soft body feels so good, especially after what we just did. I can hear her even breath evening out. She fell asleep. So she's just as exhausted as me.

I kiss the top of her forehead. "Lucy." I whisper. She doesn't hear me. "I love you."

I said it. I actually said it. After avoiding it for a while, I finally said it. I want to know if she heard me. But she fell asleep. That sucks. I wanted her to hear it.

Oh well. Next time. But for now, I'll take a nap with Lucy.

* * *

Cana hugs me all of a sudden, squashing my head between her boobs. "I'm so proud of you." She squeals. "My little Natsu is all grown up."

I'm still a bit mad. I didn't want to tell her what happened. That's suppose to be between me and Lucy. Oh well. Can't do anything about it now.

I get up off the barstool and leave Cana to her boozing.

I was about to leave when the doors to the guild open. I see Lucy and Levy walking through the door. I feel so happy. Lucy's back.

"Hey Luce." I call out to her.

Lucy looks at me and smiles. Oh god, her smile. I feel so happy. "Hey, Natsu." She answers back.

"How was the book thing?" I ask.

"Oh it was fantastic." She squeals, spinning around with her book in hand. "The author read a passage from his book and it was awesome."

"I guess you like the book." I answer.

"I do." She smiles. "I want to be a writer just like him."

"I think you can be an even better writer." I admit.

She looks at me with those beautiful brown eyes. "You really think that?" She whispers.

"Well, I don't know much about books but I know Lucy and Lucy is the best. So whatever she writes is going to be the best." I tell her.

I think I said the right thing because she immediately hugs me. "Thank you, Natsu." She says in my ear.

I love holding her in my arms. I think every guy has thought this about their girl but Lucy fits perfectly in my arms. It's like she was made for me or something. I could just hold her for, like, forever.

It's moments like these that make me realize that I really love Lucy Heartfilia. I'm so glad that I met her that day in Hargeon. I'm so glad that we're friends. I'm so glad that she's my girlfriend. She chose me. **ME**.

"Get a room, you two." I hear someone shout.

Lucy pulls away from me, a bit embarrassed. Dammit. Who ruined my moment?

"Wanna go out somewhere to get some food?" I ask her.

She smiles at me. "Sure. I'd like that."

I take her hand and we head out of the guild to get something to eat.

As soon as we are clear, I pull Lucy to me and kiss her on her lips. She's a bit surprised but she kisses back.

"I love you, Lucy." I tell her.

"Love you too, Natsu." She responds.

Okay. I wasn't expecting that. This is the first time she has ever said that she loves me. But when she did, it made me feel like I'm the awesome-est guy in the world.

"Come on." I grin. "Let's go find some food." I grab her hand and we head off.

Lucy is amazing. I've never felt anything like what I feel for her. No one has ever made me feel this way, not Erza, not Lisanna, not Happy, not even Igneel. It's like she's the key to every thing that is me and she's the only one who can make me feel the way I do for her.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

Word Count: 4829

**Okay. Some notes.**

**I won't repeat what I already wrote in chapter six but here are the highlights. Like I said before, Natsu isn't some sort of sex god, at least in the beginning. I would think he has the basic understanding of the mechanics. And Natsu, of the three guys I'm writing about in the project, is going to use childish terms for the sexual organs. That's why he says boobs and thing. I would think that Gray would use more traditional terms and Gajeel very crude ones. It's a choice of style.**

**Notice that the two chapters, while similar in most respects, are different in some ways. Natsu's chapter is more descriptive than Lucy's because Natsu knows how he feels about Lucy and also knows why he's kissing her. Lucy doesn't so hers is less descriptive and it focuses on why this was happening. (Also Lucy's was written first so I didn't know what I was going to come Natsu's chapter.) And in the last chapter, which happens chronologically before this chapter, Natsu has already admitted to being in love with Lucy. But he never said it to Lucy and Lucy didn't hear it in her chapter. Again she didn't know at the time how he felt about her.**

**Anyways, Love it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_It nearly cost him but Natsu learned a harsh lesson that day. When it came to her mother, Lucy really needed her privacy because the wounds still cut her deep. Natsu learned the hard way not to look in that box._

**This one might be a bit tough because I might not have described it well. But good luck.**

**It's time for the sleep so good night.**

**A. Angel.**


	12. L is for Letters

**Good news, everyone. I've updated. Huzzahs are in order. And contrary to popular belief, rumors about my death have been greatly exaggerated.  
**

**You are probably wondering why this took so long to update. Well it has everything to do with my video game project. For the last month or so, I was feverishly working on it for the presentation. The presentation was actually this week which kinda delayed this. I was so freaking nervous but I think I did a pretty good job on it. But I suppose we will wait and see.**

**I actually got started on this sometime near the end of March. However, I heard about Gruvia week and I knew that I had to do something for that. So I stopped this chapter and worked on that for a week. But finally this is done.  
**

**Onto the reviews. Phoenixed, Sunset, as I said before, I know Natsu isn't as naive about sex as many authors make him out to be. On these topics, I tend to go with the bare minimum with him rather than "I am 12 and what is this" or "Lucy I wanna fuck you so hard" kind of moments. **

**Misstrius, I never said that Natsu was drunk. The wine was laced with a truth serum and acted as my hook into the lemon. Cana is sneaky like that after all.**

**And to all that reviewed, a huge thank you. Because of your support, this project has gotten over 1,000 reviews and this particular fic is reaching 300 reviews. Thanks for the support.**

**Now onto letter L. This one was strange. When I came up with the idea in my head, I liked it. However, when I started typing it, I was less thrilled. I don't know why. In any case, by the time I finished, I wasn't proud of it as much as many of the other things I wrote. Then again, I'm usually my harshest critic. Hope you like it. It's pretty long.**

**Finally, IceNinja, Phoenixed, Bluie, LaylathePenguin, GoldenRose, PhoenixBear, Nadeshiko, firekey, hcs5059, hopeless, firesofshadow, Lovely, and Gray23 get three points for guessing the letter (pun).**

**And now, our feature presentation**

* * *

**L is for Letters**

Natsu loved Lucy's place. For some reason, he was drawn to it...and not just because of the person who lived there. Exploring Lucy's place was like an adventure. He didn't know everything about her space, which piqued his curiosity. There was always something different about her apartment. She always bought something new, whether it was a new book, new clothes, or even some perfume. And then there is the novel that she is always working on. His girlfriend wrote a new page every day and though reading was never Natsu's thing, he ate up Lucy's pages like fire. Her place was like a mystery just waiting to be explored and he loved it.

It was on a day like this that Natsu was snooping around Lucy's apartment with Happy. Lucy went out for the day (though she didn't tell Natsu where). They went through her drawers, tried on her clothes, bathed in her bathroom and ate her food. It was during their exploring that they found _it_.

It was a little box with an ivy design on the top, a hope chest Natsu realized. He had never seen that box before, which made his curiosity itch. And so, the young man took the box and opened it. If he knew that it would cause a rift between him and Lucy, Natsu probably would have never touched the box. Inside the box was a bunch of sealed letters. Natsu read the front side of the envelope.

"Dear Mom." He read.

Natsu was confused for a moment. That's when he realized what it was. These were the letters that Lucy wrote to her mother.

Happy flew over to him. "Hey, what did you find?" He asked.

"Lucy's letters to her mom." Natsu told him.

"Oooh. Let's read one of them." Happy said, very excitedly.

"Alright." He replied.

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_How are you doing? I am well. Today Natsu and I just finished another mission, digging an irrigation canal in a town. I am surprised that Natsu was able to burn the earth to create a ditch that served as the canal. From there, it was just a matter of asking Aquarius to fill it. I don't get why she has it in for me. She's one of my dear friends and yet she always angry at me. Did you have the same problems with her when you had her key?_

Natsu remembered that mission. Lucy had asked for a mission that they didn't have to beat up some bad guys. At first, the Fire Dragon Slayer refused, saying that missions where they didn't stop bandits or crush monsters weren't fun at all. But Lucy pulled out the most evil trick in a woman's arsenal: Puppy Dog Eyes. It was super effective.

Contrary to his initial impressions, that was a very fun mission. Natsu had never used his magic in such a manner but it was a welcomed change. Plus since they didn't destroy any property, they were able to keep all of the reward money for a change.

_Oh...and me and Natsu are doing well. I would have never thought he would be such a considerate boyfriend. Why last week, he took me to a fancy restaurant as a date. You should have seen him. He looked so adorable with his mismatched polo shirt, checkered trousers and a blazer that was three sizes too big for him. (Maybe one day, I'll take him shopping for some clothes.) And he was a perfect gentleman on that date too. He pulled out my chair for me (though he nearly made me fall because he pulled it out too far). And he didn't even eat the flames from the candelabra. It was the perfect date, ones that I used to dream about when I was a kid. I really wish you could have met Natsu. I think you would have liked him._

Natsu remembered that date. It was their second date, a month after they got together. The pink haired man was really trying to impress Lucy and so he went to every guy in Fairy Tail asking for advice. He talked to Gray, who was six months into his relationship with Juvia, Alzack, who was married to Bisca for more than seven years, Macao and Wakaba... hell, even Gildarts. Every guy told him that he needed to get dressed in proper clothes for his date. Sadly, he had nothing that could be considered dress clothes. So he had to borrow some. He got a polo shirt from Gray, the pants from Alzack and the blazer from Gildarts.

When he showed up at Lucy's place for their date with flowers in hand, he expected a thank you or a kiss or something. He didn't expect Lucy to laugh at him. A gray cloud settled over him until she told him about his clothes. It made him feel a bit better afterwards.

And their date was awesome. Well, he really couldn't judge because he had never been out on a date before. But any time he spent with Lucy was great. That she thought it was the perfect date made him ridiculously happy.

_Well, I'll talk to you soon._

_Lucy_

_P.S. Don't tell Natsu but I think I might have completely fallen in love with him._

When he finished, a wide grin grew on his face. Reading this letter made Natsu happy. To know exactly how Lucy felt about him... well that was just tops.

"Good job, Natsu." Happy cheered. "You made Lucy love you."

Natsu giggled like a madman. "She loves me. She really loves me." Even though Lucy had told him two months ago, seeing that she wrote it to her mom made him really happy.

"Hey Natsu." Happy called him out of his thoughts. "I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat."

As if on cue, Natsu's stomach roared (I would say growled but it was so loud that the furniture shook). "Alright, let's go."

Natsu and Happy left Lucy's apartment and headed to Fairy Tail. Without thinking, the Fire Dragon Slayer also took the hope chest with him. It would be a mistake that he would regret making.

* * *

Natsu and Happy were devouring Mira's amazing food when the blue Exceed noticed the hope chest on the table.

"Natsu, you have Lucy's letter box." He told his friend.

Natsu saw the box and furrowed his eyebrows. "Hey, you're right." He replied. "I don't remember bringing it with me."

"Oooh, let's read some more letters." Happy said in his usual glee-filled voice.

Natsu matched his enthusiasm. "Sounds good." He answered.

Before they read the letters, Mira placed some more food in front of them.

"Still hungry, Natsu?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Always." The pink haired man grinned.

The barmaid noticed the hope chest and furrowed her eyebrows. "What's that?" She asked.

"It's a chest from Lucy's place." Natsu explained. "It has all of the letters to her mom."

Mira sighed. The white haired woman knew that Lucy's mother passed away many years ago. So she figured that the letters were her way of venting her feelings, like a diary. And reading a girl's diary was one of the worst things a guy could do, especially if he is the boyfriend. Natsu was playing with fire...metaphorically.

"Natsu, you really shouldn't read those." Mira warned.

"Nah, it's alright." Natsu replied. "We do this all the time."

The barmaid looked worried. "You are making a mistake, Natsu." She said, trying to admonish the Fire Dragon Slayer. "You should return the hope chest and apologize."

But Natsu and Happy didn't listen. They rifled through the letters and picked up some letters to read aloud. He would regret not taking Mirajane's advice.

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_I saw a mother and daughter together at the park and it made me sad. I miss the times we made walks through the garden together..._

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_I'm finding hard to progress as a Stellar Spirit mage. There are times I wish you were here to guide me. I know that you would be able to help me get through this..._

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_Don't tell anyone but I am jealous of Erza. She is so strong and confident and has many admirers. And me? Take away my keys and I'm weak. I try to keep a front but it's hard trying to shine in a guild full of stars..._

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_I submitted a rough draft of one of my novels to a publishing company. He said that it was too generic to print. Can you imagine? All of the effort I put into my book and he says that it was worthless. I am so angry..._

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_Today was father's birthday. He would have been 44 years old. It made me sad. I wish I got a chance to talk to him before he passed..._

Natsu's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Lucy felt like this? How come she never shared this with him? Maybe he should have a talk with her about this. In the meantime, he continued to read more of Lucy's letters.

The two had gone through almost fifty letters. Some of them had her accomplishments, like the time she uncovered a black market and stopped the dealer from selling illegal magic items. Some had frivolous details, like finding the perfect set of shoes to match one of her outfits. And some of the letters had her fears and doubts. The thing that bothered Natsu was why didn't Lucy tell him about these letters? Was there a specific reason behind it?

He was in the process of reading another letter when the doors to Fairy Tail opened. Natsu looked up and saw his girlfriend come in. As per usual, the pink haired man gave her his smile.

"Oh hey Luce." He greeted and, without even realizing it, held up one of Lucy's letters. "How are you doing?"

When Lucy saw the letters in his hands, her heart sank. Many thoughts were running through Lucy's head. Why did Natsu do it? Did he get a kick out of reading her private thoughts? Did he enjoy airing them in front of the guild? And the worst one? How could her boyfriend do that to her? Didn't he love her? Did she mean that little to her? And these thoughts made Lucy tear up.

When Natsu saw Lucy about to cry, he put down the letters and walked over to her.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" Natsu asked. He put his hands on Lucy's shoulders but she threw them off her.

"How could you, Natsu." She whispered but Natsu could hear a faint hiccup from her. He could also smell tears.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" He asked again.

This time, the Stellar Spirit mage made a point to ignore him and went over to the request board. Lucy couldn't even look at Natsu right now. There were so many emotions going through her. She needed to be strong. But most importantly, Lucy needed to get away from Natsu. Lucy picked out a mission and ripped off the paper from the tack. The blonde then headed to Mirajane.

"I want to take this mission." Lucy asked with tears in her eyes.

Mira was hesitant. "Lucy." She whispered.

"I just need to get away." The Stellar Spirit mage told Mira. "Please." She pleaded.

Mira looked at her friend sadly. She knew that she just needed to get away from Natsu because she couldn't be around him right now. After giving the mission a quick one-over and deciding that Lucy could handle it by herself, Mira approved it.

"I am so sorry, Lucy." Mira sighed.

Lucy didn't answer. She took the hope chest and letters from the table, ignoring Happy asking if she was alright.

As she was walking out of the guild, Natsu stood in front of her. "Lucy, what's wrong?" He asked. "Are you mad at me?"

Lucy ignored Natsu again. She went around Natsu and was about to head out the door when he grabbed her wrist.

"Lucy, please talk to me." Natsu pleaded.

A flash of light appeared in front of him. The next thing he saw was a glint of steel inches from his eyes. It took him a moment to adjust but when he did, Natsu saw that Sagittarius was aiming an arrow directly at his eye.

"Moshi-Moshi. You will release Lucy-dono's hand immediately, Natsu-dono." The archer spirit grounded out.

"Sagittarius." Natsu mumbled, a bit shocked that one of Lucy's most loyal spirits would turn against him.

"Please release Lucy-dono's hand." Sagittarius repeated. "You will not be asked again."

Natsu did as he was asked, letting go of Lucy's hand. She walked right out of the guild without giving him an explanation. Sagittarius soon followed his master.

Natsu screwed up, he realized all too late. He was the reason that Lucy was crying. It was his fault. The one person whom he never wanted to hurt was crying because he did... something. That part Natsu wasn't too clear on. But he was intent on fixing the problem.

Before Natsu could walk over to Lucy's place, he was hit by what could only be described as a tidal wave of terror. At first, he thought it was Erza Scarlet, Fairy Tail's rule enforcer. However, this aura enveloped him in a terror that was almost nostalgic. That's when he felt the monstrous hand around his throat, lifting him in the air like he was nothing and choking him. When he looked down, he followed the hand to the body and then to the face of the person holding him captive.

It has been a while since he was attacked by Demon Mirajane, and it was just as terrifying as it was back when he was a brat.

Somewhere in the time between Lucy leaving and now, Mira had used her takeover magic to transform her arm into that of a demon. If the situation were different, perhaps he would reminiscence about the times she could put fear in his heart. But now, things were different. Mira wasn't doing this to play around. No, she was doing this to hurt him.

"Mira." Natsu choked out. "Wha..."

"How could you, Natsu." Mira said in a low, cool voice. "How could you do that to Lucy?"

Natsu was so terrified of both Mira's raw power and the frightening aura swelling about her that he couldn't even give her a proper answer. And even if he wasn't, the Fire Dragon Slayer really didn't have an answer.

"I told you to return those letters, Natsu." Mira continued to speak in the same low voice. "Those letters mean the world to Lucy.

"I don't understand." Natsu coughed as he was still be choked by Mira. "Me, Happy, Gray and Erza go through her stuff all the time. We've read her novel, used her bathtub, dressed in her clothes and eaten her food. She freaks out sometimes but I don't get why this time she cried."

Mira would have pitied Natsu if she wasn't so furious. "Sometimes, I wonder if you have grown up at all." She said. "How can you not understand a woman's heart, especially the heart of the woman whom you love?"

"Huh?" Natsu said, turning blue to purple.

"Those letters to her mother are her way of venting her feelings, Natsu." Mira explained. "They act as a diary. She puts her thoughts onto paper as a way of letting go of whatever is depressing her without fear of judgment from anyone, even us. And it serves another purpose. It allows Lucy to keep her mother's memory alive. It's cathartic for her to imagine talking to her mother about her problems."

Natsu really had nothing to say. He just listened

"When you read them, you violated her privacy, her private world." She continued. "What's worse, she probably believes that you were doing this for fun. What you did to Lucy is the equivalent of her spitting on your memory of Igneel."

Mira watched as Natsu started to realize the importance of what he did. Subsequently, his countenance fell. The white haired woman decided to let go of the Fire Dragon Slayer but not before throwing the pink haired man against the wall.

"I hurt Lucy?" The pink haired mage wondered after picking himself off the wall. The way Natsu said it, it was more like a realization than a question. "I never meant... I mean, I was..."

The more Natsu thought about what he did and the significance of it, the more he started to understand the impact it had on Lucy.

"I am a horrible person." He said in a defeated tone.

This time, Mira did pity Natsu. The Fire Dragon Slayer may be dense but she knew that the last thing that he wanted to do was to hurt Lucy. Natsu loved his girlfriend with all of his heart. Everyone in Fairy Tail knew this. And it a way, this was partially not his fault.

Mira supposed that this situation was the result of Natsu and Lucy's childhood upbringing. Natsu spent his formative years in Fairy Tail. Its atmosphere can best be described as communal. The kids in the guild shared pretty much everything: clothes, baths, missions. There was very little that wasn't shared between them. And the girls that Natsu grew up with... well they hardly fit the bill of normality. Erza was terrifying as a kid as she is as an adult, Cana was very open with whatever went through her head, Lisanna had a small crush on Natsu which caused her to share pretty much everything with Natsu, and Mira herself was kind of a bully. This environment had the unexpected result of shaping Natsu into a man who didn't hide anything and expected the same of everyone else.

Lucy, on the other hand, lived a very secluded life. She had no one to support her after her mother died. Mira surmised that the only way Lucy was able to endure her loneliness was by writing to her mother. And even though their resident Stellar Spirit mage was now surrounded by friends, Lucy still wrote. Perhaps it was because she still needed that connection. Perhaps it was escapism. Only Lucy knew for sure. But the blonde continued to write even after leaving her home and well after her father's death. And Mira knew that those letters were some of her most precious treasures.

Mira's train of thought was derailed by Natsu who bowed in supplication before her.

"Mira, what do I do?" Natsu asked desperately. "How do I fix this?"

"You need to apologize... and quickly." Mira told him. "Don't let this fester."

Like a shot, Natsu Dragneel was gone.

* * *

Natsu made his way towards Lucy's apartment, determined to make things right. As he caught sight of the door, he saw a recognizable figure standing in front of it. Proud and regal stood the Lion Spirit Leo, who was better known as Loke. And when he saw Natsu, the spirit calmly walked over to him and smashed his fist over the pink haired mage's head, causing said man to drop to the floor.

"Ow, what was that for?" Natsu growled. He didn't have the time to play with Loke. He needed to make things right with Lucy.

"For making Lucy cry." Loke voice was eerily calm, which unnerved Natsu somewhat. The Lion Spirit only used that voice when addressing his enemies.

"I know. That's why I have to make things right." Natsu explained.

Loke kicked Natsu in the gut, sending the Fire Dragon Slayer back a couple of feet. "You aren't going to see her tonight." He explained.

"Move out the way." Natsu commanded as he got up. He didn't want to get into a fight with Loke and make Lucy even more mad at him but he was certainly not going to be denied.

"The answer is no." The orange haired spirit answered. "Lucy summoned me with specific orders to keep you from seeing her."

Natsu stopped in her tracks. "Lucy did that?" He asked himself.

"You really picked a bad day to be stupid." Loke berated the Fire Dragon Slayer. "Today was her mom's birthday. Every year when it comes around, Lucy goes over to her mom's grave and prays for her. "

With each word, the weight of Natsu's depression grew heavier.

"Then you come along and read her letters in front of the whole guild." Loke continued. "Now she's upstairs with Aries and Capricorn, crying her heart out about how you betrayed her trust."

"It wasn't..." Natsu stammered. "I didn't..."

Loke sighed. "You know, if it wasn't for the fact that I know you didn't mean to hurt Lucy, I would use all of my power to crush you."

Natsu had a look on his face that Loke had never seen before...depression mixed with despiration. "Loke, please let me see Lucy." He asked.

"No." Loke repeated. "I promised Lucy. You know that a Stellar Spirit mage doesn't break promises, right? Well it works both ways. We Spirits can't break our promises either. We promise to follow our orders, even those we don't agree with."

Natsu sighed. He really wanted...scratch that. He really needed to see Lucy. But she didn't want to see him.

"If I were you..." Loke told Natsu. "I would wait till tomorrow to apologize." Then, as an afterthought... "And I would avoid Aquarius. She may not look it but she's the angriest. I heard her say to herself that if she sees you, she would send you out to sea and drown you up to the point of your last breath. Then she would take you back to shore to get your breath back and then drown you again."

Natsu shuddered. He had never known Aquarius to be vindictive... well to anyone but Lucy. Still, her punishment sounded particularly vicious.

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled in the hope that Lucy could hear him. "Please let me see you." He tried following Mira's advice of apologizing quickly but Lucy didn't peek her head out the window or answer him at all. The Fire Dragon Slayer kept yelling his girlfriend's name until he was shooed away by Lucy's landlady.

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_Today I am really mad at Natsu. Do you want to know why? He read my letters that I wrote for you in front of the guild. Why would he do that? Did he think this was funny? I can't look at him right now. I don't want to talk to him either._

_Mama, what do I do? What did you do when you and Papa had a fight? Did you yell at each other? Did you refuse to talk to each other? I really wish you could tell me._

_Your Daughter  
Lucy_

* * *

The first thing that Natsu did was run out of his house and head for Lucy's apartment. He had a plan. Natsu would catch Lucy before she went on her mission. He would apologize. She would forgive him. Then there would hugs and kisses. Then everything would be alright.

The apartment was now in sight. Now normally, he would jump towards her bedroom. However, with his girlfriend mad at him, the pink haired man went over to her door and knocked.

"Lucy." Natsu said in front of the door. "Please talk to me."

There was no answer. Natsu knocked harder.

"Lucy." He yelled. "Lucy."

"Stop knocking, you loud man." A grizzled voice yelled behind her.

Natsu turned around and saw Lucy's bear of a landlady standing behind him. She looked pretty stern for a very short lady.

"If you are looking for Heartfilia-san, she already left on a mission." The landlady told him.

Natsu's face fell immediately. This was not how he expected things to go. Lucy left without a word, even though she promised that she would never leave on a mission without telling him where exactly she was going. She promised. And he never got the chance to apologize. That was the worst part. Natsu hated when Lucy was sad. He just wanted to make her happy. Is that so wrong?

Natsu made the long walk towards Fairy Tail. It was weird. It was never this long before so why was it so far away now? Why did his feet feel heavy? Why could he not pick up his head? Why did his heart feel like it was drowning? Natsu had no answer for this...none at all.

Natsu had his head in his arms as he sat at the bar in the guild. Mira was manning it, trying to decide if she should serve him or not.

"Did you apologize to Lucy?" Mira asked. Her voice was stern.

"I tried to talk to Lucy last night." Natsu explained. "But Loke stopped me from seeing her."

"And today?" She continued.

"I woke up early to apologize but she left on her mission already." Natsu told her.

Mira sighed. So much for nipping this in the bud quickly.

"You better make sure to apologize as soon as she comes back." Mira told him with finality. "I would also avoid Erza if I were you."

Natsu scrunched up his face in confusion. "Why?"

As if to answer his question, the doors to the guild burst open.

"Where is he?" A terrifyingly familiar voice resounded throughout the guild. "Where is that dead man?"

It was Erza Scarlet and Natsu didn't even need to see her face to know that she was on the warpath. He could hear the stomping from behind but he made no move to avoid her. The Dragon Slayer wondered how she even found out what happened between him and Lucy. Then again, this did occur in the guild so rumors and whispers were bound to surface.

A punch to the back of his head sent him flying into one of the walls. Normally Natsu would be thrilled to fight Erza at her full strength but not today. Today, he let Erza wipe the floor with his body. He deserved this, after all. Erza pummeled him mercilessly for an hour or so. Natsu couldn't tell. And that was fine. He needed to feel some physical pain for what he did to Lucy.

During the time Lucy was gone, Natsu swung by Lucy's place to see if she was back, got his morning beating from Erza, ate lunch, received his midday beating from Erza, stood outside Lucy's place for several hours, accepted his evening beating from Erza, then went home thinking about ways he could have avoided all of this only to have the same thing happen to him the next day. Also during this time, the atmosphere in Fairy Tail changed as well. Many guildmates were angry at him for his actions. It was a very unusual feeling. He had never experienced this before. He felt completely isolated from them and he didn't like it.

* * *

Natsu passed by Lucy's apartment a week and a half later and smelled a familiar scent. It was hours old but he knew that she was back. For the first time since the incident, Natsu smiled. He could finally make things right with Lucy.

With great trepidation, Natsu made his way to Lucy's door. It was odd. He had never felt nervous going over to Lucy's place. No one told him how to handle a girl mad at him before. What should he say? How should he say it? Should he just say sorry? Should he think his words over first?

Natsu knocked on Lucy's door. "Lucy, are you back? Can we talk?" He asked. The Dragon Slayer put his ear to the door to hear if she was there. Sadly, he couldn't hear any rustling at all which meant that wherever she was, it wasn't in her apartment.

There was only one other place besides the guild that she would go. Unfortunately, that place puts him right inside the belly of the beast. But Natsu wasn't afraid. So with a spring in his step, he walked towards Fairy Hills. While he was walking, Natsu thought of what he could say to make Lucy forgive him. One by one, the pink haired mage shot them down as being completely out of character for him.

When at last he reached his destination, Natsu was...let's say he was unnerved. Never had he faced a more daunting task in his life. This wasn't an enemy to defeat. This was his happiness on the line. Lucy had a big piece of his heart in her hands. If she didn't forgive him...or worse...if they broke up... Natsu didn't even want to think about it.

Before the Dragon Slayer could think about any further, he saw a large man exiting Fairy Hills. The familiar scent washed over him. Dammit, Natsu thought. Of all the people that could have been here today, he was one of the three that he didn't want to see. And judging by the look on his face, Gajeel Redfox was pissed.

When the two Dragon Slayers locked eyes, it was as if the world had stopped spinning. Gajeel cracked his knuckles.

"Good going, chucklenuts." Gajeel spat. "Because you pissed off your woman, I can't see mine. Blondie is crying her guts out because of you to my shrimp."

Normally, Natsu would hit Gajeel for insulting him. But hearing that Lucy was still unhappy with him caused him to bow his head in sadness. He knew he had to do something. The Fire Dragon Slayer brushed past Gajeel and headed towards the door.

"Your funeral, Salamander." Gajeel chuckled darkly. "Titania said that if you stepped one foot into Fairy Hills, she will smash your stupid skull like a watermelon on a hot summer day."

The threat of Erza made Natsu hesitate a bit but only for a moment. He knew what he needed to do. But before the pink haired mage could get to the door, he was stopped by an invisible barrier.

"Ooof." Natsu groaned, whiting out for a second. When his eyes adjusted, he saw purple rune-like symbols floating in the air. It read "Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail is not allowed in Fairy Hills."

"What the hell?" Natsu said with his nose scrunched up against the rune barrier.

"Gi hi." Gajeel smirked. "Looks like my shrimp saved your life."

This isn't how Natsu wanted this to go. He wanted to apologize and get it over with so they could go back to the way things were. He wanted his Lucy back. Is that so much to ask?

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_It's been a week and a half since I've talked to Natsu. I was pretty angry at him. But now, with Levy-chan's help, I've calmed down. I think that I can explain to him now. I just want to go back to the way things were. Is that too much to ask?_

_Mama, what would you tell me that I need to say or do? How would you resolve this?_

_Well, I'm going to try my best tomorrow. Wish me luck._

_Your Daughter  
Lucy_

* * *

Natsu mulled around Fairy Tail the next day after he was denied access from Fairy Hills and Lucy. Like yesterday, he was trying to think of the right words to say to her.

Natsu started getting this gnawing in his stomach. This gnawing he now associated it with guilt. He felt guilty for making Lucy feel terrible. It was his fault. It was all his fault. That's why he needed to fix it so that Lucy could be happy again.

The doors to Fairy Tail opened and in walked the blonde Stellar Spirit mage, Lucy Heartfilia. There was a somber look on her face, a look that Natsu wanted to change.

With unusual trepidation, Natsu walked up to Lucy. "Why am I hesitating?" Natsu wondered to himself. "I want to talk to Lucy. I want to apologize. So why are my feet not moving fast enough?"

Lucy saw Natsu heading towards her. It was odd, she thought. Natsu wasn't the kind of person to be subdued. So why did it look like every step he took looked so timid? Was he really _that_ affected about what happened between them?

Natsu and Lucy stood face to face for the first time in a week and a half. The pink haired mage looked very solemn as if he was trying to think of something to say.

"Lucy..." Natsu began.

Said blonde looked at her boyfriend sadly. What was he going to say? She watched him struggle some more to find the right words to say.

"I don't like this." He admitted.

Lucy looked surprised. He sounded so hollow. Was this the same person that brought her to Fairy Tail? Was this the same person who was always so happy, even in the heat of battle?

"I don't like it at all. I don't like when you're angry at me. And I don't like it when you are sad because of me. So can we please just forget all this and go back to the way things were?" He asked, accentuating his question with his boyish grin.

Go back to the way things were, Lucy thought. She shook in fury and clenched her fists hard. Go back to the way things were? No 'I'm sorry I read your letters?' No 'I'll never do that again'? Just 'go back to the way things were'?

Natsu thought that he had set things right. Lucy was looking at him. She wasn't running from him or hitting him. That was a good sign, right? That's when he started noticing that she was very quiet...too quiet for his tastes. And she was clenching her fist pretty hard. He realized all too late that that wasn't the right thing to say. So he tried to backtrack by grabbing Lucy's hand.

"Wait! Lucy!" Natsu shouted.

Lucy snatched her hand away from Natsu. "To think that I was about to forgive you." She huffed angrily as she turned around to walk out the guild doors. "You don't understand a woman's heart at all."

With that, the blonde stormed out of the guild angrily, leaving a stunned Natsu in her wake.

"Lucy, come back." He yelled.

The Dragon Slayer was about to make chase when he felt a wave of terror hit him. That wave was then followed by a gauntlet fist to the face which threw him back towards the other side of the guild. He hit the wall and crumpled into an unceremonious heap.

"You dumbass." Erza growled after punching him. "You continue to hurt Lucy so I will continue to hurt you."

The rest of Natsu's day consisted of harsh beatings from Fairy Tail's strongest woman, beatings that he didn't even try to resist. He kept thinking about what he said wrong and how he could fix it.

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_Can you believe the nerve of Natsu? He told me to forget what happened and go back to the way things were. He wasn't sorry. He wasn't apologizing. He doesn't even care about my feelings. Did he think that I was just going to take him back?_

_And yet, why do I feel sad? I mean, I'm in the right, right? Natsu is the one who is wrong. So why do I feel sad? I don't understand._

_I wish you were here to help me. But I guess I am on my own._

_Your Daughter  
Lucy_

* * *

The next day, Natsu and Happy ran over to Lucy's place. They wanted to apologize immediately so that everything would be alright and they could all have fun together again.

When they got there, they found Aquarius standing in front of Lucy's place and she looked absolutely pissed. Now Natsu had seen Aquarius angry before. That was her normal. But today was different. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. But Natsu knew that the water bearer spirit was very loyal to her mistress despite her attitude. And he remembered Loke's words about Aquarius looking for his blood.

"Natsu. what's wrong?" Happy asked.

"I think we should try again tomorrow." Natsu told his Exceed friend.

Happy furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?" He said. "I thought we were going to apologize to Lucy today."

"We were but there's no way we are going to get past Aquarius." The pink haired mage sighed. "She'll kill us. Loke said so."

Happy looked positively angry at Natsu, which was a first for him. In all of the years that he had known his friend, the blue Exceed had never shown anger at the Dragon Slayer. Who was this guy, Happy wondered. Was this the same guy he was friends with for all of these years?

"You're running away?" Happy asked incredulously. "Then you aren't the Natsu I know."

That's when Natsu caught himself. Happy was right. He _was_ running away. He was being a coward and that was so not his style. The Dragon Slayer took a deep, cleansing breath and exhaled.

"You're right, Happy." Natsu admitted with a half smirk. "I guess I'm a bit scared.

Happy bristled in shock. "Natsu's scared?" He shrieked. "But I've seen you fight dozens of bad guys, monsters five times your size. How can you be scared?"

Natsu looked away, a frown marring his face. "This is different, Happy." He sighed. "Lucy hates me right now and every time I try to make things better, I make them even worse."

"Natsu." Happy whispered, truly feeling bad for his friend. He started to understand why Natsu was acting this way.

"I love Lucy." The pink haired mage continued. "I want her to be happy. And now I messed up. That's why I absolutely have to make things right." He grinned at Happy. "Thanks, Happy. I needed that talk. Now let's go to Lucy."

"Ayesir." Happy cheered, glad to have the old Natsu back.

The two of them made a mad rush towards Lucy's apartment, momentarily forgetting that Lucy's strongest spirit was guarding the door. When Aquarius saw the two barreling towards her, the water bearer spirit became enraged.

"Ohhh." She roared. "This is all your fault that I'm here on guard duty, dragon boy."

Aquarius raised her jug and twirled it around, gathering the water from the river. In seconds, her jug became full.

"Hyooraahh." The Water Bearer Spirit roared, throwing the water from the jug.

Natsu and Happy stopped in their tracks as the giant wave of water came hurtling towards them.

"Tsu...tsu...tsunami." They both shouted as the tidal wave smashed into them, carrying them from Lucy's place all the way to their own house.

The waters finally receded, leaving a very dizzy Natsu and Happy reeling from the attack.

"Maybe you were right." Happy whined wearily. "We should try again tomorrow."

"Aye." Natsu replied weakly before passing out.

* * *

The next couple of days were a total wash as well. Sagittarius was adamant in not letting them in. Aries apologized profusely when they tried the day she was on duty. Taurus denied them access, saying that now was the perfect chance to keep Lucy's nice body all to himself. Capricorn gave them a stern talking-to when they came around, something about feelings and whatnot. Virgo said that she couldn't let them in or else she would receive punishment from her mistress. Gemini, not really understanding what was going on between Natsu and Lucy, led them on a wild goose chase in Lucy's form. Cancer said that he couldn't refuse his mistress anything. Scorpio sympathize with Natsu, saying that Aquarius was the same way whenever he screwed up, and told him to cheer up because Lucy would eventually forgive him.

Loke was a different story all together.

Nine days after his near drowning by Aquarius, Natsu and Happy trudged their way towards Lucy's place again, determined to finally see her. When they saw Loke standing guard, the two immediately fell into despair.

"Aw man, Loke's guarding." Happy whined.

Natsu sighed. He wasn't looking for another beating from the Lion Spirit. But the Fire Dragon Slayer was determined to see his girlfriend... He stopped for a second. Could Natsu honestly call Lucy his girlfriend now? It's been more than three weeks since he last had a full-on conversation with her. Was this a sign that she didn't want to be around him anymore? Was she breaking up with him? Natsu needed to know.

"Hey, Loke." Natsu greeted without his usual enthusiasm. "Can I see Lucy?"

Loke looked away from Natsu, a frown crept along his face. "I'm sorry but I can't." He sighed. "Lucy said she doesn't want to see you."

"Oh." Natsu said simply.

"Listen, I'm actually on your side now." Loke told him.

That perked Natsu up.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah." Loke replied. "I believe that she's taking this silent treatment a bit too far. She shouldn't be avoiding you. She should be talking to you about what happened. You two should have made up by now."

"So why won't she let me see her?" Natsu asked.

"If I know anything about women, it's that she's doesn't know how to approach about this." Loke said, briefly polishing his credentials a ladies' man a bit.

"Then let me see her." Natsu replied. "That way, I can finally make things right."

Loke sighed. "Unfortunately, I can't."

"Why not?" Natsu yelled. "Why can't I see Lucy?"

"Because I promised her." Loke responded. "I failed one Stellar Spirit mage but I will not fail this one. I made a vow that I would absolutely follow every command that Lucy would give me, even if I don't agree with it. That's why I have to do this. I'm sorry."

That was not the answer Natsu was looking for. But he understood Loke's position. He respected that.

"Please tell Lucy that I still want to talk with her." Natsu asked.

"Of course." Loke nodded.

With that, Natsu and Happy left Lucy's place and headed for home.

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_I am a terrible person. Natsu has been coming to my apartment every day but I haven't seen him. I actually had my Spirits guard the door every time he came. Even though he tried to enter, Natsu didn't fight with the Spirits. I don't understand._

_Why can't I see him? Why am I avoiding him? I guess I am a scaredy-cat. I shouldn't be torturing Natsu. I love him._

_But does he still love me? Is he getting tired of me? What should I do? Please tell me._

_Your daughter,  
Lucy._

* * *

Mira had never seen Natsu this depressed in her life. He looked as though someone took all of the joy in his life. And his physical appearance matched his emotional state. His complexion looked pale, he had bags under his eyes, and worst of all, he hadn't taken a single mission in the last three and a half weeks. Erza stopped beating him though. Instead, she began feeling sorry for him. She knew that whatever physical pain Natsu endured from her was nothing compared to the emotional pain that he was currently feeling

The mood around the guild changed as well. It was less joyful ever since Natsu and Lucy stopped talking to each other. Their situation made others think about their own relationship. Natsu and Lucy were considered by many to be the ideal couple. If _their relationship_ could be on the rocks and on the verge of breaking, what hope did any of them have? To add to that, many people in the guild were split as to who is to blame for this. On one hand, Natsu was the one to instigate the incident. On the other, Lucy isn't helping to resolve this by avoiding him. But above all that, the guild was certain on one thing. They wanted Natsu and Lucy to be happy again.

As Natsu was bemoaning his situation, the doors to Fairy Tail opened. The pink haired mage, out of habit, looked in that direction and saw the object of both his affection and frustration walk in. It was Lucy.

Lucy looked very different. No longer was she the vibrant woman that he fell in love with, she was now very sullen and gloomy. Natsu couldn't understand. Why was she sad? Why was she gloomy? Was it still because of him?

Natsu locked eyes with Lucy. Those brown eyes...those chocolate brown eyes that he loved so much. They lost their luster, he realized. It's like someone took the fire out of them...and that someone was him.

Like a hunter approaching a deer, Natsu quietly walked up to Lucy. He didn't make any sudden movements for fear of startling Lucy. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He finally got within arms length of her. She still hadn't moved...still locked eyes with her.

"Can we please talk now?" Natsu asked.

Natsu looked intently at Lucy's face, trying to discern her emotional state. He noticed that her eyes were shimmering. Oh how he wished he was better at reading people. Then he could figure out what was going through her head.

Without warning, Lucy turned around and ran out of the guild.

"Lucy." Natsu yelled, not caring that the whole guild could hear him. "Don't run away from me. Please... talk to me."

Natsu slumped to his knees in defeat. If this were any other time, the Dragon Slayer would have chased down Lucy. But these three weeks have taken a huge toll on him. He couldn't take it anymore. It hurt. His heart hurt. His head hurt. His whole body hurt. The silence hurt. The air hurt. Everything was hurting him.

This felt just like the time Igneel disappeared. No. That's not right. This felt worse. This felt a million-billion times worse. With Igneel, even though he's disappeared, Natsu knew that Igneel cared for him. But Lucy is right here and he couldn't tell if she still loved him.

Was this it then? Was this Lucy's answer? Were they never going to be together anymore? Were they never going to be friends again? Are they not going to even talk to each other?

The pink haired man felt something wet on his cheek. When his fingers brushed up against it, he instantly knew what it was. Tears. He had been crying. Why had Natsu been crying? Was this because he was rejected by the woman that he loved? Natsu couldn't stand rejection. It wasn't something he had ever dealt with in his life. He couldn't stand this heartache. It was too much. He had to get away. He had to leave. He had to go somewhere, anywhere but Fairy Tail.

Not even bothering to look at the sorrowful eyes behind him, Natsu calmly walked out of the guild.

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_I am such a coward. After talking with Loke about Natsu, I went to Fairy Tail to apologize for treating him the way I have. But I ran out before I could say a word. Now I've hurt Natsu even more._

_I'm not even angry at him anymore. I just want to talk. But every time I try, my throat gets dry and the words escape me._

_Is this it? Is this where our relationship ends? I don't want it to end. Please help me, Mama._

_Your Daughter,  
Lucy._

* * *

Natsu stopped going to the guild. He couldn't stand it anymore. He couldn't be around any reminders of Lucy.

The pain was still there. It's like someone was rubbing sandpaper all over his body. Is this what relationships feel like? Is this what heartache is? Natsu wished he could stop feeling like this.

By now, even Natsu had noticed a change in his behavior. Once so extroverted and outgoing, he couldn't find the will to leave his house. Out there were reminders of his old life. Out there was happiness. Out there was Lucy and he couldn't stand it. He couldn't stand being so close to Lucy and feeling so far away, to be able to touch her but not embrace her, to look in her eyes and not kiss her. He hated that with all his heart.

And yet, Natsu couldn't bring himself to hate Lucy. After all the heartache he went through, he couldn't hate her. He still loved her. He still wanted to be with her in whatever capacity she would allow, whether it be a boyfriend, a friend or even an acquaintance at this point. He just wanted to hear her voice.

It was during his self-loathing that a familiar scent wafted past his nose. He took a deep whiff of it. It was Lucy's scent.

Natsu ran towards the door and opened it with all of his speed. Unfortunately, there was no one there. The Dragon Slayer looked around, trying to see if she was there. But he found no one.

"Must be my imagination." Natsu sighed and closed the door.

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_Today, I tried going to Natsu's house to explain but I chickened out before I could reach the door. I am pretty hopeless, aren't I?_

_He doesn't even go the guild anymore. And it's all my fault. I'm the one who's making him feel this way. Why did this have to happen to us? Is there no hope for us? Will we never talk to each other again?_

_What do I do, mama?_

_Your Daughter,  
Lucy._

* * *

It has been nearly a month since Natsu and Lucy talked. The pink haired mage had tried everything he could think to get back with her. But all of those attempts failed. Was this it, he wondered. Were they done?

It was in his self-loathing that Natsu found a sheet of paper and a pen. An odd idea came to him. Perhaps he should write his feelings onto paper and mail it to Lucy.

It was worth a shot and Natsu had no other ideas even worth doing. So with great thought, Natsu poured his heart out onto the sheet of paper.

When he was done, Natsu put the letter into his mailbox for the mailman to pick it up on his route. This was it, his last chance. If this failed...

* * *

_Lucy,_

_I am not good with these kinds of things. I'm not good with words or letters. But I figured since you won't talk to me, I'll try something else instead._

_Lucy, I am so very sorry for reading your mom's letters. I didn't mean to make you sad. If I had known that doing that would cause you not to talk to me, I would have never touched the box._

_I just wish we could go back to the old days where we were just laughing and having fun with each other. I don't like this at all. I'll do anything you want. I just want you to talk to me again. I just want you to look at me again._

_But I understand if you don't want to be my girlfriend anymore. I get that. We can still be friends and partners. I just wish you would talk to me. We can go on a mission together and have lots of fun._

_I don't know how to make this right. I don't know how to do anything anymore. But finally, I said what I've wanted to say since last month. Please come talk to me, Lucy. I still love you._

_Natsu_

* * *

Natsu was all alone in the house late at night. Happy was getting some fish to eat and even though the blue Exceed had asked if he wanted to come along, Natsu refused.

Today, Natsu felt like a paradox. He wanted to be alone but he also didn't want to be alone. He wanted to see Lucy and yet he didn't want to see her. It was very weird and confusing indeed. The only thing that was clear to him was that he was depressed. Depression isn't something Natsu was used to at all.

And he hated the loneliness. Natsu was a very social creature after all. Being by himself sucked so hard. It was awful. The one person he wanted to see wasn't talking to him anymore. Even though there was a part of him that told him to keep fighting to see Lucy, another part was saying that he blew his chance the moment he read her private letters. It was done. They were done. He didn't know how to handle it.

There was a timid knock at Natsu's door. It was so soft that if it weren't for his enhanced senses, he probably would have missed it. Natsu figured if someone was at the door at this hour, it must be pretty important. So he went and opened it. Turns out, it was the last person he ever expected.

There she was, the object of his affections and the source of his current depression standing right in front of his doorway. Was this a dream? Was this real?

"Good evening, Natsu." Lucy said. "May I come in?"

Natsu was so shocked at Lucy coming to his house that he invited her in without even thinking about it. He closed the door behind him.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Neither of them knew what to say. They were waiting for the other to start first. She was right here in front of him, Natsu thought. He could finally say everything he wanted to say. So why was he hesitating? Why wasn't he speaking? After what felt like an eternity, Lucy handed Natsu the letter that he wrote.

"I got this today." Lucy said simply.

Natsu gave the letter a once-over. "Oh, yeah." He sighed.

"Did you mean it?" She asked.

"Every word." Natsu replied.

There was another suffocating silence after that. Natsu knew that it was finally time to say what he needed to say.

"Lucy, I am so very, very sorry." Natsu began with tears in his eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, ever. I don't even know what I was thinking. I wish I had never even looked at that box. I wish I didn't hurt you. I am so sorry."

Lucy looked on with unshed tears as Natsu continued to apologize.

"These last few weeks when you weren't speaking to me..." Natsu gritted his teeth. "It hurt. It hurt so much." That was actually a massive understatement. He would rather face a thousand angry Erzas from now until the end of time than be without Lucy for one day. "I knew I screwed up. I was to blame for making you sad. It was my fault."

"Natsu." Lucy whispered.

"If you don't want to be my girlfriend anymore, I understand." Natsu sighed, fully accepting the consequences of his actions.

Lucy's eyes widened. Did he actually just say that?

"In fact, let's start over from the beginning." He continued. "That way, we can start with a clean slate."

"Natsu, we can't." Lucy chided.

"Sure we can." Natsu smiled weakly in an attempt to convince Lucy. "Here! I'll start." He held out his hand to Lucy. "Hi! My name is Natsu, Natsu Dragneel. What's your name?"

Lucy looked down somberly, as if she was unsure how to proceed. "Natsu." She sighed.

The pink haired mage chuckled weakly. "Your name is Natsu too? How strange."

"Natsu, please stop." She asked, effectively silencing the Dragon Slayer. "You can't just start over every time we fight."

Natsu looked scared. "Why not?"

"There's so much to work through." Lucy explained. "You exposed my private world to others. You violated my trust. And if I can't trust you with the small things, how can I trust you with the big things. As much as you want to, you can't just pretend that this never happened."

Natsu was visibly shaken by Lucy's words. "Lucy." He mumbled.

"We have to work on trust. "She continued. "It has to be rebuilt on both sides. We have to learn if what happened changed us, if we are the same people we used to be before this happened. And if we aren't, how are we going to be able to fit in each other's lives."

"Please don't do this." Natsu begged.

"And who knows when or even if we are going to make it through this." Lucy choked up on her own words.

"Lucy, I beg you." He pleaded.

The blonde bowed her head and took several short breaths, as if preparing herself for the hardest thing she ever had to do. Natsu looked on in fear. This was it, he figured. This was the part where she dumped him and they never speak to each other again.

"Natsu, can we just skip that?" Lucy asked. "Can we just skip all of that and get to the part where you're holding me in your arms?"

Natsu was visibly shocked. Did she just say...

"Please?" She asked, completely unsure of herself.

Natsu needed no other prompting. He gathered Lucy in his arms and hugged her as tight as he could without crushing her. She was here. She was back. She was in his arms. How long has it been since he held her? How long as it been since he could smell her lovely scent? Too long.

"I'm sorry." Natsu whispered into Lucy's ear, not even bothering to keep his tears in check. "I'm so sorry."

Lucy cried as well. "I'm sorry too." She admitted. "I meant to talk to you a long time ago but I was scared. I was scared that you had stopped loving me and..."

Natsu grabbed Lucy by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "I still love you, Lucy." He yelled adamantly, tears still flowing. "I will always love you. We can get through this. I know we can."

Lucy smiled despite her own tears. "I love you too. I know we can get through this as well." She said. "So the next time we have a fight, let's make sure to resolve it that very day so that this never happens again."

Natsu nodded vehemently. He was just glad that she was back in his life again. He was just so happy.

Natsu's eyes dropped a little lower to her lips. Oh how long it has been since he had kissed her. He wanted to kiss her badly. But was she ready?

"Lucy" He asked, still looking at her lips. "Can I..."

Lucy nodded and Natsu's lips crashed onto hers. He put his everything into the kiss: his happiness, his fear, his depression and his love. He gave her everything and held nothing back. Yeah, it's been too long since they've kissed...way too long.

When they broke apart, Lucy leaned her head against Natsu's shoulder. Oh how he missed her.

"Natsu, can I stay the night here?" Lucy asked, afraid of the answer.

"Of course you can." Natsu replied without hesitation.

With that, he led Lucy into his bedroom. Natsu pulled the covers from his bed away and laid down, inviting Lucy to join him. She took him up on that offer and joined him in the bed. Afterwards, Natsu grabbed Lucy and pulled her towards him. He had her back. He finally had her back. And he was never letting her go again.

* * *

_Dear Mama in Heaven,_

_Me and Natsu finally reconciled. I am so happy he forgave me for not talking to him for this month. And I finally forgave him for reading my letters in the first place. I know we can get through this because we love each other._

_Mama, I am so happy. Natsu makes me so happy. If there is a good thing about what happened between us, it's that our love is strong enough to weather even the harshest storms. And knowing that makes me even happier._

_I know you are watching over me and smiling. Please continue to smile over me._

_Your daughter,  
Lucy._

* * *

_Word Count: 9,999  
_

**And we are finally done.**

**I am going to be honest, I have a problem with the Nalu relationship in the manga. It stems from the fact that they do not have any interpersonal conflict. And that's a problem for me. All relationships have some sort of conflict between them that they need to get over to get closer. Gajeel and Levy have their first meeting as the conflict, Jellal and Erza have the Tower of Heaven, Elfman and Evergreen bicker with each other constantly, even Gray and Juvia have Gray's complete ignoring of Juvia's obvious feelings. But Natsu and Lucy don't have that. That makes them an unusual couple not only in Fairy Tail but in anime and probably literature. They are too perfect which makes coming up with believable angst difficult. I can't work with perfect**

**I wanted to put a wedge between them that they would have to work out. But in the beginning, I had nothing. In this situation, some people use the tired trope 'boy cheats on girl'. However, that isn't believable in the NaLu relationship. Natsu is way too loyal to cheat on Lucy. (In fact, with the exception of Loke, I doubt any guy in Fairy Tail is going to cheat on their girl.) And to use Lisanna as a buttress against them would be cliched and cruel to her character as pitting two canonically nice girls against each other while making one to be a bitch is wrong, in my opinion. So how should I proceed, I wondered. Well, the more I delved into their characters, the more I noticed that Natsu and company keep violating Lucy's privacy. Then I came to the letters. I wondered, what would happen if Natsu read Lucy's letters in the guild. And the rest is history.**

**I also wanted to do something different. In many fics, it's always the guy that screws up. It's always the guy's fault. That's not fair at all. So while Natsu is the original instigator, Lucy is also at fault for ignoring Natsu for a month. And if you think that this doesn't happen, allow me to tell you that relationships are built on trust. If trust is broken in the small things, the big things are going to hurt that much more. In any case, that's what I was thinking in this fic.**

**Lucy's speech at the end was partly inspired by Tara Maclay's speech from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was the episode when she reconciles with Willow. And the music I had playing when I wrote this was Shukumeki from the Fairy Tail soundtrack.**

**Well, like it? Hate it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_Natsu and Lucy were like yin and yang. They compliment each other like two halves of a whole. In all of Fairy Tail, you would be hard-pressed to find two people suited for each other._

**This might be a difficult one so I'll be a bit lenient. Can you guess the M word?**

**Well, till next time**

**A. Angel**


	13. M is for Match

**So here we are, the last chapter of the first half. It's sad and happy at the same time.**

**Now for the reviews.**

**AnnMY, I know that the ending was a bit botched. However, that was purposeful. Yes, there are still issues between Natsu and Lucy concerning the letters. However, near the end Natsu was much more concerned with getting back with Lucy than confronting her about those issues. Do not worry. They will be addressed. In fact, her perceived weakness issue was already discussed in chapter three. Her mother will be discussed in a later chapter. I promise. But I will say that I don't think Lucy has to let go of her mother but she does have to let Natsu in.**

**Plop, thesinner, I know it dragged on. I needed to chart the month that Natsu and Lucy weren't together. And yes, Lucy was over the top. But neither of them have ever had a fight with each other. So this is new territory for them. You may think that this is over the top but I have seen great relationships crumble because of small issues like this instead of big issues like cheating. So I tried to incorporate that into the story. And I also needed both of them to be at fault in the fight. That's why I did what I did.  
**

**Gray23, yes Natsu needs to have some depression to be more three-dimensional. And I plan to give him a bit more in another chapter. It won't cause a rift between him and Lucy. But it is an issue that many authors don't really address.**

**SunsetRika, I have also found that problem with people writing Natsu as too childish like he is a nine year old child or extremely innocent and naive. I try to flesh him out a bit by giving him real situations and seeing how he would react. Glad to see that you like it.**

**And to everyone who reviewed, thank you. It makes me happy.**

**This chapter is rather short to balance the previous one which was much longer than I had anticipated. It's a departure from my regular writing style. Normally I work from a third person omniscient perspective. On occasion, I do a first person perspective. But this one is a third person limited perspective. I'll be writing from Mira's perspective. Why? Because I want to view Natsu and Lucy from someone else's eyes. And Mira is the person to do it. So, enjoy.**

**Gray23, Catwho, Rika, MonaLisa, PhoenixBear, Liliana, Cats007, and Carjan get four points for getting the word right. And I'll give Oni to Neko 1 point for getting close. And now, our feature presentation**

* * *

**M is for Match**

_Don't give up looking for love because there is someone out there that is your perfect match. ~ My Mom._

It's not everyday that Natsu Dragneel brings home a girl, Mirajane noted to herself. Such an action was more appropriate of someone like Loke or Macao. She probably would have expected it of Gray or Elfman before the Fire Dragon Slayer. So when the pink haired mage brought Lucy Heartfilia to Fairy Tail, needless to say it was a shock to everyone once they collected themselves after the initial brawl.

Most people in the guild figured that Natsu was very ignorant when it came to romance and sex. He wasn't one to go peeping in on girls. He wasn't particularly interested in girlie magazines. He never really blushed when confronted with sexual situations. And he had never dated anyone or even attempted to ask a girl out. Before Lucy came into his life, the closest Natsu was with any girl was Lisanna. However, that was strictly platonic. So when the Stellar Spirit mage entered the guild with Natsu, many people thought that he had finally awoken as a man.

And who would have thought that the first person Natsu picks for himself would be a knockout. Physically, Lucy was the perfect girl: lovely blonde hair, a marvelous rack and amazing curves. She had it all. And quite frankly, she should have been a bit out of his league. But hey, if she wanted to be with Natsu, then they were happy for him.

But those people were wrong. Natsu's intentions of bringing Lucy into the guild were strictly platonic with no romantic overtones at all. They had gotten their hopes up for nothing. And after a few days, many people gave up thinking that Natsu was with Lucy.

Not Mira, though. The barmaid thought that Lucy would be the perfect match for Natsu. All it would take is to put them in situations together and surely, their love will blossom. And half of her work was done when Natsu asked Lucy to be his partner. But that wouldn't be enough, the white haired woman figured. She needed to stir the pot. She needed someone that could force Natsu's hand. And that someone was Gray Fullbuster.

It was rather easy to get Gray on Natsu's team. When Erza needed people to take on Eisenwald, Mira offhandedly suggested Natsu and Gray to the knight. The woman known as Titania agreed with the barmaid's thinking. The red haired woman knew of their strength and figured that, combined with her own, would be enough to stop the threat. She announced to Natsu and Gray that they will team up and take on Eisenwald's threat. Unbeknownst to Erza, Mira smiled to herself. Her plan was working perfectly. Before they left, she told Lucy to go with them so that Natsu and Gray wouldn't fight amongst themselves. And Lucy, being the naive girl that she is, agreed to go.

Though Mira's plan sounded rather elaborate and theatrical, it was actually rather simple. Natsu and Gray were eternal rivals, always competing against one another in everything, from feats of strength to simple games. They always had to one-up the other. And so, Mira had put Lucy in the middle of their rivalry, hoping that Gray would challenge Natsu for Lucy's affections, subsequently awakening the Fire Dragon Slayer's feelings. Then he would finally take Lucy for his own. It would take a while, yes. But Mirajane Strauss was nothing if not patient. And if Gray actually did get with Lucy, at the very least, something good would come out of it.

However, Mira's plan didn't take into account one thing. Gray was about as stunted with his feelings as Natsu was. Though, the stripping ice mage was more aware of women in the romantic sense, he didn't pursue them. Plus, Gray had his own personal baggage that made having a relationship quite difficult. That's not to say that he didn't think that Lucy was pretty damn cute. However, Gray only saw Lucy as a friend and nakama. And contrary to what Mira believed would happen, neither Natsu nor Gray fought for Lucy's heart. They fought each other for very trivial reasons but never about the blonde on their team. The barmaid found it quite frustrating that those two weren't acting out their roles. Her plan was going awry. Natsu and Lucy were no closer to being a couple than they were when she first started. And there would be something else that will impede Mira's plan, something that even she could have not foreseen. She went by the name of Juvia Lockser.

When Juvia joined the guild, she zeroed in on Gray immediately. She pursued him with almost laser-like focus and the ice mage couldn't get away. The water mage wasn't subtle in her affections either. She endlessly professed her love for the black haired mage, stalking him, making him food, doing anything and everything for him. Strangely enough, Gray wasn't bothered by it. He didn't correct her or tell her that there would be nothing between them besides friendship. In fact, slowly but surely, his own feelings for the water mage started to change.

Mira saw this change and decided to abandon her plan to pair Natsu with Lucy by using Gray as a buttress. Instead, she tried pairing up Gray and Juvia up. That plan didn't get them any closer than her attempts to get Natsu and Lucy together. Despite that setback, the ice and water mages grew closer. And, after the Grand Magic Games, Gray took himself out of the running for Lucy's heart by asking Juvia to be his girlfriend.

While all of Mira's scheming was going on, Loke was also trying to pursue Lucy romantically. To be fair, much of it was playful teasing. It was easy to get a reaction out of the Stellar Spirit mage. However, there was a subtle overtone of actual affection on the lion spirit's part because she helped him get back into the Spirit World. However, his pursuit of the blonde had the opposite effect. Lucy was repelled by Loke's flirtations. She never took them seriously even though Loke tried and tried. The lion spirit knew the score though. They were never going to get together because Lucy's heart, despite her denial, belonged to Natsu.

Almost four months into her plan, Mira started getting frustrated. How was it that Natsu didn't feel anything stronger than friendship and camaraderie towards Lucy? I mean, it was easy to make Lucy feel something stronger than friendship towards Natsu. All it took was a simple offhand comment about the Fire Dragon Slayer maybe liking her and the blonde's imagination took it from there. So why was it so difficult for Natsu to do the same? Mira knew he wasn't stupid. He was aware of Lucy's beauty. He knew she was beautiful. So why wasn't he falling for her?

Perhaps the reason was that Natsu was denying himself Lucy's affection because of Lisanna's death. Perhaps her death affected him more than even he was unconscious aware of. Imagine if someone you were close with died in a very tragic manner. You would probably try repressing how you feel so that you would never feel it again. Or perhaps he had some affection for her sister and felt guilty about feeling something deeper for Lucy. Mira didn't know.

So when Lisanna came back from her unintended exile (a miracle that Mirajane would forever be grateful), Natsu and Happy spent nearly every waking moment with her. While Mira watched from afar as Lisanna recounted her days in Edolas, Natsu and Happy were genuinely happy, as expected of one who basically came back from the dead. They were laughing, reminiscing of days past and having fun. Perhaps, the barmaid thought to herself, this was the reason why Natsu didn't fall for Lucy. He had felt something for her sister. But after nine days, Natsu and Happy was partnered back with Lucy. Of course, every time he and her sister were in the guild together, they would share some words with each other. But it wasn't like Natsu was kicking Lucy out and trading her for Lisanna. No, the Stellar Spirit mage was still an integral part of the Fire Dragon Slayer's team and in his life.

Mira was did not understand the Fire Dragon Slayer at all. How could Natsu be so simple and complicated at the same time? It's not it was difficult to figure out what Natsu was thinking. He had three main thoughts: fighting, food, and fun. Usually, those three were interwoven together. But it was that same simplicity that made the Fire Dragon Slayer so complicated. Does he not feel drawn to Lucy? Could he not see what was in front of him? Could he not understand that Lucy was his perfect match? Everyone else in the guild knew that they were made for each other. Even Lisanna, who had once harbored something slightly deeper than friendship towards Natsu, could see that the blonde was much better for him than she was. So why weren't they a couple? What would it take for Natsu to open his eyes.

Now Mira had no problem putting Natsu and Lucy in romantic situations. She had no problem insinuating that one had feelings for the other. But that's as far as she would go. She would not use a love potion on them. She wouldn't throw them into a closet until they confessed. She would not force them to feel what they don't. Love should come of its own volition, not as something that should be coerced onto someone. And yet, Mira thought doing that was the only way Natsu and Lucy were ever going to get together. Fate, however, has a funny way of working.

After they had returned from Tenrou Island almost seven years later, Mira could tell that there was something happened between Natsu and Lucy. She couldn't figure out what it was but she knew something changed in their dynamics. It was very subtle, which is weird because Natsu isn't a subtle guy by any means. In fact, it was so subtle that if Mira wasn't paying very close attention, she would have missed it.

Natsu was keeping Lucy very close, as if he was worried of letting her out of his sight. It wasn't something that was obvious. But Mira was very perceptive. He was physically closer to her than he had ever been before Tenrou Island. Every time she would get up to do something, Natsu's eyes followed her. He was always trailing her everywhere and would have probably followed her to the bathroom if Lucy didn't stop him. Mira tried to figure out the reasoning behind Natsu's insistence that he know where Lucy was at all time and deduced that she probably almost died right in front of his eyes. That explanation made the most sense to the barmaid.

And yet, it didn't explain everything. It didn't explain the light blushes Natsu sometimes had when he talked to Lucy. It didn't explain the almost childlike glee he had in his eyes whenever she looked at him. And it certainly didn't explain his sudden rash of perversion he had recently obtained ever since Tenrou Island. It was only because Mira was on the outside looking in that she saw the change in the Dragon Slayer.

So she was not surprised that two months after the Grand Magic Games when it happened. Natsu had finally admitted to himself that he loved Lucy. Not that he had taken any action ever since he realized it. It was odd watching him after his revelation. It was as if he was testing the waters, trying to get a feel on how Lucy felt about him. It was such a departure from the Natsu she had known and grown up with that they could be two different people. Mira, though she liked the idea that Natsu was finally honest when it came to his feelings, wished that he would just ask her out already.

Then it happened. Five months after the Grand Magic Games, Natsu and Lucy became an official couple. This surprised exactly four people (two of which were the ones in the relationship). The rest already assumed that they were a couple. (I mean, the shared wristbands and everything.) What more people were surprised by was the how. Even Mira was shocked at the how. She would have never imagined that Natsu and Lucy having sex before they were a couple. But, the barmaid supposed that if they were happy, she was happy for them as well.

Mira watched Natsu and Lucy from her spot behind the bar. The pink haired mage jumped on the table where they were sitting and started laughing.

"Nyahaha." Natsu laughed in a grandiose manner, bellowing fire from his mouth. "I, the great and powerful Natsu-sama, has finally landed on a ladder."

Lucy sighed bemusedly. "Yes, yes Natsu-sama." She sighed. "After getting like twelve chutes in a row. You're taking this game way too seriously."

"The great and powerful Natsu-sama gives his all in everything he does." He cackled. Natsu took the die from Lucy's hand. "Now behold as I leave you in the dust." He said in a grandiose manner and rolled the six-sided cube.

All of a sudden, his face fell. It was like someone told him that he would have to eat twelve bowls of Raisin Bran to get the same nutritional value as one bowl of Total. "I want a redo." He murmured, poking his index fingers.

"Oh, has the great and powerful Natsu-sama given up because he landed on another chute?" Lucy said sarcastically.

"This game..." He huffed. "Why did you want to do this?"

"Because one, I want to do something that doesn't involve beating monsters, roughing up gangs or fighting dragons." Lucy answered. Then a wistful smile crept along her face "And two, when I was a little girl, I always wanted to play this game with a friend. So please, for me, let's have some fun without fighting?" She smiled brightly.

Mira could see Natsu's expression change from one of boredom to a gleeful smile.

"All right then." He grinned. "But I'm not giving up yet."

Mira smiled as Natsu and Lucy continued their game.

They truly were made for each other, she thought. They complimented and balanced each other out well. For Lucy's doubt, there is Natsu's confidence. For her fear, there is his courage. And for her perceived weakness, there is his strength. It's not just Lucy who is balanced out by Natsu. For Natsu's reckless abandon in battle, there is Lucy's cautiousness. For his act first and think later attitude, there is Lucy's planning and intelligence. And for the times when Natsu feels like there is no hope, there is Lucy's constant belief that somehow, someway, he will save the day.

Mira smiled to herself.

Natsu and Lucy. Those two have been together for a year and a half now. Of course, like any couple, they had their ups and downs. Sometimes they argued over petty things. Sometimes they fought. But as quickly as they fought, they made up and were back to loving each other.

"Haha." Lucy cheered, breaking Mira out of her revelrie. "I won."

Natsu grumbled.

"Now where's my prize?" She grinned at the Fire Dragon Slayer.

The pink haired mage was silent for a second. Then he had a devilish smirk on his face. Natsu walked over to Lucy and kissed her full on the lips.

Lucy blushed a pretty pink when she felt his lips on hers.

Natsu and Lucy were like yin and yang. They complimented each other like two halves of a whole. Those two, whether they realized it or not, were a perfect match and she hoped that they would be together for a very long time.

* * *

_Word Count: 2,658_

**That's that. Damn, half way done.**

**I want to remark on a couple of things. In previous chapters, I had written that Natsu isn't as naive when it comes to women, sex and the like. However, this is Mira's perception of Natsu and Lucy so she assumes that Natsu isn't wise to it.**

**I also addressed a common trope in many NaLu fanfics, a trope that I do not like at all. That is the "Lisanna's back so Natsu kicks her off the team/Fairy Tail" trope. I do not like it and I will refuse to read such a fic. It's so contrary to what Fairy Tail is about that I am shocked that it is a popular theme. I had remarked in Hero chapter that I hated the "Lucy's weak and she gets kicked out of Fairy Tail" trope. I am sure that there are many that are good fics with this theme but I can't read it at all. **

**And I also hate using Lisanna as "the other woman". I can't understand the hatred that many NaLu fans have concerning her. It's not like that she's trying to put herself between them. In fact, besides the scene where she hugs Natsu after coming back from Edolas, Lisanna has been in one, maybe two scenes, in the manga. The only one I can think of is in the GMG arc when Natsu pushes her on a board while surfing the wine barrels. That's it. There weren't even any words between them. Don't worry. NaLu is safe. I promise. It's not like another manga (which shall remain nameless) where he can't decide between the two main ships and continues to drop hints of both of them.**

**When I wrote the part words that Natsu's perversion increased after Tenrou Island, that was stream of consciousness writing. I didn't think about it when I wrote it. But when I looked back during my editing, I realized, "Hey wait, it's true." Before Tenrou Island, the only time Natsu maybe had perverse thoughts about Lucy was after the battle with Jellal. Happy makes a mention of Lucy being in a maid's outfit while singing and dancing. Natsu gets a weird smile and goes "whoo" as if he's imagining it. After Tenrou Island, Natsu is spying on Lucy twice and grabbing her breasts. And he's blushing more too. It's really subtle but it's there.**

**Well, loved it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Here's the prompt for the next chapter.**

_Natsu showed Lucy many things on their adventures. And these sights gave her inspiration to write. It was her adventures with her boyfriend that was the muse behind her first published work._

**Another easy word. What's 'N' here?**

**Well, till next time,**

**A. Angel**


End file.
